


Chosen Girl and the Escaped Wizard Convict

by AnimationNut



Series: Chosen Girl [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Siblings, Because you know the Dursleys, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Child Abuse, Creative liberties taken with Glamours, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Girl-Who-Lived (Harry Potter), Half-blood Pansy Parkinson, Hufflepuff Harry Potter, Potter Twins, Pro Severus Snape, Ravenclaw Hermione Granger, Ravenclaw OC - Freeform, Remus Lupin Raises Harry Potter, originally written in 2012
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 84,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26783215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimationNut/pseuds/AnimationNut
Summary: Charlotte Potter is hoping her third year won't be so eventful. But when she discovers that an escaped wizard convict wants her dead, she realizes that this year will be more dangerous than the last.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley & Original Female Character(s)
Series: Chosen Girl [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1820644
Comments: 64
Kudos: 58





	1. An Unexpected Visitor

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter. Charlotte Potter is my OC.

Charlotte Potter loved to learn. When she attended Muggle school, she’d been forced to dumb down her work so that Dudley would come out on top. Now that she was at Hogwarts, she was able to academically excel. She didn’t have to worry about limiting herself. Most students were despondent about having to complete their summer homework, considering it a blemish on their sunny holidays. She, on the other hand, was always eager to tackle each assignment.

The only problem was that the second she stepped foot into the Dursley household for the summer her uncle locked her trunk, which contained all her magic supplies, in the cupboard under the stairs. Thankfully she had acquired a nifty skill of picking locks with hairpins in her childhood days during the periods of isolation in her cupboard with a how-to library book hidden beneath her pillow.

It took a week but she managed to rescue her textbooks while her relatives were having tea in the garden. She smuggled them upstairs into her bedroom and shoved them into the wardrobe, covering them with Dudley’s old hand-me-downs.

Having time to complete her homework was trickier, as her aunt and uncle always had a list of chores for her to accomplish. She wrote her essays in the dark of the night, hidden under her covers and using a flashlight to help her see.

It left her with little sleep but the Dursleys didn’t notice the faint bags under her eyes. All that mattered to them was she finished the housework and Charlie dutifully completed her tasks each day, which ranged from raking the leaves to sweeping the floors to cleaning Vernon’s car. The one chore that remained concrete, that she had to do daily, was help Petunia make the meals.

There were several pots on the stove, the contents bubbling and hissing as the flames flickered beneath them. The steam caused sweat to build on Charlie’s forehead and she idly wiped it away with the sleeve of her shirt.

“Do you have the gravy on?” demanded Petunia as she sliced vegetables neatly on a cutting board.

“Yes, Aunt Petunia,” replied Charlie, giving the simmering brown substance a stir.

A sharp rap at the front door caused Vernon to grumble in the next room. "Who could be calling at this hour? _Charlotte!_ Answer the door, girl! See what they want!”

Charlie set the lid over a pot of boiling potatoes and made tracks for the entry hall. She reached the front door and quickly swung it open, only to jolt in shock at discovering who was on the other side.

Professor Severus Snape stood on the front stoop, dressed in dark trousers and a black button-up shirt. He regarded his student, whose cheeks were flushed and gravy stains dotted the front of her oversized shirt. “Hello, Potter.”

“Hello, sir,” returned Charlie, trying to arrange her stricken expression into something more polite. “What brings you here?”

"I've come to converse with your relatives.” When Charlie hesitated, Snape raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to invite me in or continue standing there gawking?”

Charlie nervously glanced over her shoulder, but there was no sign of her relatives coming to investigate. "I don't think that's a good idea. They’re, um, they won’t be pleased to see you.”

“If you are worried their appalling demeanor will offend me, you are mistaken.”

“Okay,” said Charlie uncertainly. “Please, come in.”

She stepped back and let Snape cross the threshold. The aromas of a roast dinner filled the house and Snape eyed the stains on her clothes. He asked suspiciously, “Are you cooking for them?”

“Yeah.”

“Do they force you to do this often?”

“I wouldn’t say forced,” said Charlie quickly. “I don’t mind, really. Gives me something to do.”

“And they let you eat the food you make?”

Brow furrowing, Charlie asked, “Is that what this visit is about?”

"What’s taking you so long, girl? Who is it?”

Snape’s answer was prevented by a loud, impatient holler. Charlie snapped her chin around to peer over her shoulder, her eyes wary. Vernon lumbered into the hall and he gave Snape a sharp once-over. “Who is this?” he demanded.

“Uncle Vernon, this is Professor Snape. He’s—”

She did not get to say anything further. The moment she introduced him as her professor Vernon let out a furious roar, his face rapidly turning purple in anger. He charged forwards and grabbed his niece roughly by the back of her shirt, yanking her backwards and out of his way. Charlie stumbled and her elbow slammed into the decorative table by the staircase.

Immediately Snape took out his wand and, with a few spells, he stopped Vernon in his tracks.

"Vernon! What's wrong?" Petunia cried, hurrying into the entry hall. When she caught sight of Snape, her face turned white and she said with a gasp, "You!"

"Petunia," Snape sneered. “I regret to have the displeasure of seeing you again.”

"Get out of my house!" Petunia raged, hands flapping by her sides anxiously. "Oh, what did you do to Vernon, you brute?"

"Your husband is simply frozen in place with the inability to speak. I am here to have a civilized conversation and I will have it,” Snape said, his tone icy and dangerous.

Charlie darted her gaze between her professor and aunt, eyes wide. They _knew_ each other?

_This is just too weird for words._

Furious, Petunia pursed her lips and nodded stiffly. “We will have the conversation here,” she said, her voice equally as frosty but nowhere near as intimidating.

Snape freed Vernon from the invisible hold. “How dare you?” he shouted. “Using _it_ in my own house! I want you out of here immediately!”

Snape leaned forwards, his expression dark. “Either you are hard of hearing or you’re incredibly stupid. Albus Dumbledore sent me and I am not leaving until you answer my questions. I am more than happy to keep you frozen until you cooperate.”

Vernon recoiled at the wand that aimed steadily at him. He spluttered incomprehensibly and for a moment it looked like his head would explode. “Fine,” he hissed. “Girl!”

Charlie, who had been watching the exchange with apprehension and rubbing at her elbow, hastily straightened under her uncle’s fierce scrutiny. “Uncle Vernon?”

“Go back in the kitchen and finish supper! Don’t you ruin it!”

Snape’s expression flooded with fury as the raven-haired girl nodded and quickly went into the kitchen to finish her task. "I shouldn't be surprised that you put a twelve-year-old girl to work, but I admit that I am."

"After all we've done for her, the least she can do is cook dinner for us," Petunia said coldly.

Snape’s lips pulled back into a sneer. “All you’ve given her is a roof over her head. You force her to trudge around in those horrid clothes and you treat her as your personal maid.”

“It’s not your business what goes on in this house!” blustered Vernon.

“Oh, it is when it concerns the welfare of one of my students,” said Snape silkily. “Which is the reason for this visit. Dumbledore wants to ensure that you have heeded his warning and are feeding her properly.”

“We’ve always fed her properly,” said Petunia resentfully. “We only took away her meals when she was deserving of it.”

"Starving children is not a punishment. It is cruel," Snape hissed. “As for feeding her properly, that’s a blatant lie. We have the medical report that confirms Potter spent the first two years at Hogwarts undernourished and underweight.”

“We’re doing what we’ve been instructed to do,” said Vernon stonily. “Now get out of my house.”

"Not quite," the professor said. He went to move past Vernon and he practically sprang out of his way. “I have a few more inquiries to make and then I will be departing this awful place.”

Petunia inched around him; her nose twisted as if she’d caught the stench of something awful. Snape ignored her scathing glower as he entered the kitchen, pausing once he caught sight of Charlie standing over the stove, sprinkling salt into the pot of boiling potatoes.

She hadn’t noticed his arrival and neither had the fat blonde boy sitting at the table. The boy was glaring at his cousin. “Why’d you bring him here?”

“I didn’t bring him here,” said Charlie in exasperation.

“He hurt Daddy.”

“He just made him be still and quiet. I don’t think Uncle Vernon would be able to yell like that if he were hurt.”

“You’re gonna be in a lot of trouble,” said Dudley, eyes glimmering with glee at the prospect.

"No different from any other day," Charlie answered.

"You’re probably gonna get the cupboard.”

"It’s a possibility,” said Charlie idly.

It didn't matter what the foul boy said. The girl was unshakeable. She took his taunts with an air of eternal patience. He cleared his throat and Dudley nearly jumped out of his skin. He squeaked at the sight of the wizard in such close proximity and he dove out of his chair, sprinting out of the room through the screen door.

“Honestly,” said Charlie with a shake of her head. “I am really sorry about them. They really don’t like m—uh, _it_.”

“It,” repeated Snape flatly.

“I’m not allowed to use the m-word or anything related to it.”

Just when Snape thought he couldn’t despise the Dursleys any more than he already did. “How is your arm?”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“It doesn’t hurt at all,” said Charlie truthfully.

She wasn’t holding her elbow in a manner that said otherwise so Snape nodded. “I suppose you’re wondering what brings me here.”

“You’re here to make sure they’re feeding me.”

"Indeed. Professor Dumbledore has been worried about your health ever since Molly Weasley told him about your poor appetite. Professor Dumbledore wasn’t certain if his warning was enough to spur the Dursleys to change their behaviour. He sent me to ensure you are no longer being deprived of meals.”

"I’m fine, really,” assured Charlie. “I always have been.”

“You need not excuse their atrocious behaviour. How they treat you is horrendous, and I am sorry you have to be left in their dismal care.”

Snape was not expecting the smile she sent him. “I know they don’t care about me. But I honestly don’t mind. I’ve had almost thirteen years to get used to the Dursleys. It’s a delicate relationship.”

"They are feeding you, then?"

"More than usual, yeah."

As Charlie had been known to downplay and disregard the Dursleys’ mistreatment, Snape studied her with narrowed eyes. The child did indeed look healthier. She had clearly gained a few pounds and sprouted a few inches, although she still had some ways to go before she caught up to her classmates.

“Are you sleeping well?”

Charlie blinked. “Yeah, fine. Why?”

“The bags under your eyes indicate otherwise.”

“I guess I stay up later than I should,” said Charlie, not wanting to delve into the details. There was no way the Dursleys would allow her to complete her magical schoolwork in their house, no matter what Dumbledore said, so there wasn’t much point in mentioning it.

“Doing their bidding?” asked Snape with narrowed eyes.

“No! Not at all. I just like staying up late to read. I, uh, do chores during the day, so I don’t have much time to relax and do what I want to do until the evening.”

Snape was not surprised by this. "What was it your cousin said about a cupboard?"

Her hand stilled for second, lips thinning into a nervous line. "He was just joking."

“He was not, Miss Potter.”

It was the addition of the title to her surname that caused Charlie’s stomach to jump. “It’s just something they make me do, if they’re not pleased with me. Scrubbing out the cupboard under the stairs,” she lied. “It’s a hard job, and I hate doing it, and Dudley likes watching me do things I don’t like doing.”

Snape’s jaw clenched. “It must be an often occurrence, for him to bring it up.”

Charlie shrugged, hoping her anxiety wasn’t showing on her face. “It doesn’t matter. I’m used to it.”

“I’m going to conduct a brief inspection,” spoke Snape. “I will return shortly.”

He swept out of the kitchen without waiting for her response. Petunia and Vernon were no longer in the entry hall, no doubt hiding out with their son until he left. He paused near the cupboard under the stairs and yanked it open. There was nothing inside except for some shoes and umbrellas and miscellaneous clutter in the small space. Finding nothing suspicious, he went upstairs and checked behind each door. One bedroom clearly belonged to Dudley; toys scattered every available surface and there was a television mounted on the wall.

He eased open another door and found a pure white cat lounging on the bed. There were no toys and no electronics. There was a wardrobe stuffed against the wall and the bookshelves were loaded with books. But Snape now knew better than to think the Dursleys had bought them specifically for Charlotte. They were cast-offs from her cousin, like all Muggle items Charlotte owned.

It seemed foolish, in hindsight, that he so completely believed that Petunia raised Charlotte in a lavish lifestyle. She had been nasty and bitter to her own sister when Snape knew her in their youth. Why did he think that she would change her behaviour towards Lily’s child?

And Charlotte, much like Lily had, did not harbour any resentment towards Petunia.

When Snape returned downstairs it was to find Charlie standing in the entry hall, waiting for him. “Everything okay?”

"I would not say so, Miss Potter. You deserve more than what the Dursleys are willing to give you. But I, nor anyone else, can change that.”

Charlie smiled—how could she smile about such matters? “It's not the happiest life a girl could have, but it's definitely not the worst."

Snape studied her intently. “If I leave, will they harm you?”

Charlie’s eyes went wide with shock. “No! No, they won’t.”

The passion behind her words convinced him. "Very well. I will give Professor Dumbledore my report. I shall see you when the semester begins.”

“Okay. Um, Professor, how do you and my aunt know each other?”

“It is not relevant,” said Snape shortly.

Bewilderment crossed the girl’s face, but she knew better than to ask further questions. “Right. Thank you. For coming to make sure I’m okay."

“It’s the duty of Hogwarts and its professors to ensure the well-being of their students,” returned Snape. “Good night, Miss Potter.”

“Good night Professor.”

He departed; the front door clanging shut behind him. Charlie did not have any time to process the unexpected events of the evening, for Vernon bellowed, " _Girl! Dinner had better be on the table in five minutes!"_

"Yes, Uncle Vernon!” she called back, hurrying back into the kitchen, hoping the hearty meal would dispel any fury her relatives held towards her.

...

"Happy birthday to me," the newly-turned thirteen-year-old muttered after the clock struck midnight. It was dark in her room, the only source of light being the silver glow cast by the moon. She hadn't been able to fall asleep, the hope that perhaps she would be getting birthday wishes from her best friends too great for slumber.

Her excitement was well-founded, for half an hour later there were several owls pecking against her window. She eagerly approached the glass and found two owls standing on the ledge, supporting a third one between them. She cranked the window open and they flew in, landing on the bed. Snowy eyed them but did not budge, having been trained to leave the birds alone.

"Oh dear." Charlie stared at the elderly Errol, who could barely stand. "Hang on.”

She grabbed Snowy’s water dish from its spot near her desk and placed it beside Errol. Snowy hissed in irritation as he drank from her bowl. Charlie lightly scratched Snowy’s ears. “Be nice. He needs a bit of a rest. Do you think one of you can stay behind?” she directed at the remaining two owls. “I need to send off a letter.”

One remained on the bed as the other took back to the sky. Charlie sat crossed-legged against her pillow and curiously picked up the newspaper that accompanied Ron’s letter and package. Her eyes widened upon spotting the front-page picture showcasing the Weasley family in front of the Egyptian pyramids. The headline stated that Arthur Weasley had been the winner of the Daily Prophet Grand Prize Draw.

Charlie beamed in delight. If anyone deserved it, it was definitely the Weasleys.

_Happy birthday, Charlie!_

_We won seven hundred Galleons! None of us could believe it. We’ve never really been on vacation before, so Mum and Dad thought it would be great to take all of us to Egypt to see Bill. We haven’t seen him in ages. He doesn’t come home much._

_Egypt is brilliant! I’m taking lots of pictures because I know you guys want to see them. Hermione sent me an owl saying she wants us all to open our report cards together when we meet in Diagon Alley. She’s certain she helped Harry and I get an Outstanding in Potions. I think she’s mad._

_Mum said she’d get me a new wand this year, since we can afford it thanks to the extra Galleons. At least I have an excuse if some of my grades are poor. I had a dodgy wand to work with._

_We'll return the week before term starts. I’ll be sure to let you know the day we’re going to Diagon Alley. Hope you can join us!_

_Ron_

Charlie ripped off the paper of Ron’s package, revealing a miniature glass top. She read the note that was attached, informing her it was a Pocket Sneakoscope. It lit up and spun around if there was someone untrustworthy near its vicinity.

“Where was this in my first year?” Charlie said in amusement.

There were two more packages, which had been delivered by the same owl. Charlie selected one and opened up the letter.

_Dear Charlie,_

_I'm in France with my parents and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you! Luckily Harry knew I didn't have an owl and sent his to me! Isn't that thoughtful of him? Hopefully it won't be too much trouble carrying my present and his._

_I adore France! There's lots of interesting facts on wizards here and I'm writing them all down, just in case. I bet Ron is having a wonderful time in Egypt. He wrote to tell me he's taking pictures for us. I can’t wait to see them._

_Ron and Harry have agreed to wait until we’re together in Diagon Alley to open it. I hope you can join us!_

_Happy Birthday!_

_Hermione_

Charlie opened up Hermione's present and gasped. A sleek black leather case with the silver words _Broom Servicing Kit_ greeted her when she tore off the paper. She studied the contents in awe. "Thanks, Hermione!"

Harry’s letter was next.

_Dear Sis,_

_Wow! It feels really cool to say that. Although it's been really hard keeping it from my uncle. I always tell him everything, so it’s strange keeping a secret._

_I'm still taking the Glamour Potion, obviously. Though I'm curious to know what I look like without it._

_Ron's in Egypt and Hermione's in France. Clearly, they’re having the most exciting summer. Next year we should all do something together._

_Uncle Remus says you’re welcome to come over anytime, but I have a feeling your relatives won't like you using Floo powder to travel here. Or having Uncle Remus Apparate onto their property to come collect you._

_As I was writing this, I had a thought. It’s my birthday too. How weird is that?_

_Happy birthday Charlie!_

_Your bro,_

_Harry_

In December of last year, Charlie and Harry had discovered that they were actually twins. For reasons unknown to them they had been separated when they were babies, with Harry being taken in by Remus Lupin and Charlie grudgingly taken in by the Dursleys. Harry got the best end of the deal—he definitely didn’t spend eleven years living in a cupboard under the stairs.

Though they wanted answers, they knew there was a good reason they had grown up without knowing of the other’s existence. They decided to keep it to themselves for now, with the hope that someone would tell them the truth soon enough.

She opened up Harry's present and grinned when she found a book on wizarding fairy tales. Harry probably thought she had forgotten that it was his birthday as well, though he spent his entire life celebrating in October, due to Remus giving him a false birthdate.

She had acquired Harry’s present on the rare shopping trip she was allowed to attend with her relatives. Charlie had collected as much pocket money as she could and bought Harry a book on Muggle animals, knowing that he probably hadn't heard of most of them.

But without an owl she hadn’t been able to send it out early. She retrieved the wrapped present and letter, which she had stored under her bed, and handed it to who she knew now to be Harry’s owl. "Can you give these to Harry, please? And try to make sure his uncle doesn't see them."

The owl hooted and took off with the parcel. Charlie turned to the last package, which rested beneath a thick envelope that bore the Hogwarts crest. With her head tilted to the side, Charlie removed the short note that was attacked to the package.

_Charlie,_

_Happy birthday!_

_I’ve got a surprise for you this year. I’ll give you a hint—this book has something to do with it!_

_Hagrid_

Charlie reached for the package and jumped when it started to squirm and wiggle. “Oh, that can’t be good.”

Snowy hissed and stood up, bracing herself for a fight. Charlie slowly got to her feet and eyed the wriggling lump nervously. With a deep breath she tore off the paper, revealing a green book with a gold title. It tumbled from her bed and scuttled around the floor.

“Geez.”

Charlie looked for something to contain it with and the best she could do was a belt. She crouched low and dove towards the book. It jumped out of the way and retreated beneath the bed. Charlie groaned and inched her way after it, sneezing as the dust tickled her nose.

“Come on, come here—no biting!”

It took a minute, but she managed to wrap the belt around the book to keep it from snapping. Panting, she dropped the book on top of her desk and ran her fingers through her hair. “I have no idea what this has to do with Hagrid’s surprise, and I don’t know if I’m going to like whatever it is.”

She opened up the final envelope, which contained her report card, which she quickly put to the side, and the supply list for her third year at Hogwarts. An additional piece of parchment was included, which the letter explained was a permission form for visiting Hogsmeade.

Charlie stared at the form, disheartened. The odds of getting her aunt or uncle to sign it would be slim to none, especially after Snape’s visit. She would need to catch them when they were in a good mood, with a solid argument.

...

As she was preparing breakfast, Vernon delivered some undesirable news. Charlie sent a dismayed glance over her shoulder. “Aunt Marge is coming here?”

“That’s what I just said,” snapped Vernon. “I’m leaving to pick her up from the station after breakfast. You listen closely, girl. Stick with the story and don’t do any funny business.”

The story she was meant to stick to was that she attended finishing school. It was concocted by her aunt to explain her disappearance for ten months out of the year to the neighbours.

“I can’t do anything funny,” said Charlie moodily, poking at the bacon cooking in the pan. “I’m not allowed to do _it_ outside of that place.”

“I don’t want any mention of that weirdness either,” hissed Vernon. “Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you.”

_I thought last year was the worst birthday I ever had. I was so wrong._

An idea came to her mind as she piled the bacon onto a plate. She sent Vernon a thoughtful look and said, “I received a letter yesterday. From you-know-where. It came with a permission slip to attend a nearby village. Do you think you could sign it?”

“No,” said Vernon shortly.

“That’s unfortunate,” said Charlie with a sigh. “I really hope I don’t forget and tell Aunt Marge where I’ve really been these past two years.”

Vernon and Petunia stilled and stared at her. Dudley’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t,” growled Vernon, but his face had paled.

"Well, I might be able to mind my tongue better if you signed my form.”

“Why you—” began Petunia furiously, but Vernon interrupted her.

“Fine,” he snarled. “I’ll sign your bloody form if you do a damn good job of keeping to the story. One toe out of line, one slip-up, and you can forget about it!”

“Got it.” Charlie beamed. “I’ll be on my best behaviour. Thanks, Uncle Vernon.”

Charlie helped Petunia set breakfast on the table before hurrying upstairs. For as long as she could remember, Marge and her dog Ripper were inseparable. He was a nasty beast, but Charlie blamed poor training. She entered her bedroom and started packing up Snowy’s cat supplies. Her cat regarded her and mewed inquisitively.

"Sorry, Snowy, but Aunt Marge has a big old dog that likes to get into everything. Even if I keep my door closed Dudley will think its funny to let him in to get to you. It’s best that you’re out of the house while they’re both here.”

She motioned to the cat carrier and though Snowy was reluctant, she crawled inside. Charlie snapped the little door shut and called softly, “Dobby!”

There was _crack_ and a strange creature appeared in the middle of her bedroom. Charlie listened for any signs of her aunt and uncle coming upstairs to investigate the noise, but the stairs remained quiet. “Hey, Dobby. How are you?”

Dobby beamed at her. "Dobby is being well, Miss! The kind Wheezys send Dobby gifts of thanks!”

“That’s great! I was hoping you could do me a favour. Would you mind taking care of Snowy for a few days? A guest is coming over and she doesn’t like cats.”

“Dobby will gladly be taking good care of Snowy!" Dobby grabbed the supplies first and brought them over to The Burrow. He returned for the cat carrier and he asked, "Will Miss be needing anything else?"

"No, I’m good! Thank you very much, Dobby."

“Charlotte Potter is most welcome!”

He Disapparated and Charlie was alone in her room. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. “I can do this. I can do this.”

But an hour later, when there was a hearty knocking at the door, Charlie felt her confidence dip severely. “Oh, please don’t let this go horribly wrong,” she whispered.


	2. Lucky Break

Charlie jogged downstairs to see Petunia and Dudley standing by the door. She paused on the second-to-last step, watching in bemusement as Petunia adjusted Dudley’s collar before standing straight as a rod, as if she were about to meet someone of great authority. She approached the door and opened it, where Marge wasted no time into barrelling inside, engulfing Petunia in a bear hug.

“Petunia, my dear, it’s good to see you!” Marge said.

The moment she stepped away Petunia quickly smoothed out the creases that had been made on her floral sundress. “Lovely to see you, Marge.”

Dudley’s face was pinched as Marge descended upon him, but kept his mouth shut and his body stiff as she squeezed him. “Dudley, you handsome boy. You’ve grown so much since I’ve last seen you.”

“Hello, Aunt Marge,” said Dudley politely.

Marge turned around, grabbed two large suitcases from Vernon’s hands, and flung them at the raven-haired girl. Charlie yelped and managed to catch them, but the force sent her reeling backwards. “Bring those to my room!” barked Marge.

Charlie staggered to her feet, ignoring Dudley’s snickering, and went upstairs. There were two extra bedrooms in the Dursley household, a spare for when Marge came to visit and the other had been Dudley’s second room until her aunt and uncle moved her into it. Charlie usually tried not to think about all the years she spent in the cupboard while two perfectly good rooms went to waste.

She supposed it made sense now why Petunia had been aggressively cleaning the guest room yesterday. The sheets were freshly washed and there wasn’t a speck of dust on any surface. Charlie set the luggage on the floor near the end of the bed.

“Here we go,” she muttered under her breath.

Charlie went to the kitchen, where Petunia already had tea prepared. Marge sent Charlie a narrow-eyed glower as she sat down. “I’m amazed that my brother still lets you stay here. He’s got the heart of a saint, he does.”

There was no way Charlie could respond to that with a straight face, so she kept her gaze on her teacup as she nodded.

“You should have been dropped off at an orphanage. But for reasons I can’t begin to understand Vernon insisted on keeping you. You better be grateful, girl.”

“I am.”

Charlie had always wondered if nastiness was merely a fixture in Dursley DNA. Her entire life, whenever Marge came over, she never failed to remind Charlie what a burden she was on her brother and his family. Marge never met Charlie’s parents. There’s no way Petunia or Vernon would have ever introduced them, so the information Marge knew about James and Lily Potter was whatever her aunt and uncle had told them.

Which, of course, was nothing good.

"I hear you've been attending Elizabeth’s Finishing School for Young Ladies,” continued Marge. She gave Charlie a critical once over, from her slumped posture and her messy hair. "Doesn’t seem like you learned a thing! You still look like someone off the streets.”

“I suspect that’s because my clothes don’t quite fit,” replied Charlie.

“You haven’t learned any respect either,” growled Marge. “How is the discipline at this school of yours? Do they use the cane?”

_What is it with her and the cane?_

It wasn’t the first time Marge had brought it up and if there was one thing Charlie was truly grateful for it was that Vernon did not take any parenting advice from his sister. “Sometimes,” she said, if only because she knew the answer would please her.

“Clearly not often enough,” Marge harrumphed. “I would contact them if I were you, Vernon. If you want this girl to be molded into a respectable member of society, she’s going to need harsh discipline. Mind you, I don’t know if there’s any hope left for her, but it wouldn’t hurt to try. Miracles do occur.”

Every time Marge came to visit, Charlie was reminded that it really wasn’t all that bad living with her uncle.

Marge was far, far worse.

...

Marge was staying for a full week, and Charlie was beginning to lose her patience five days in.

She was there at every turn, demanding food or drinks or criticizing how she walked and how she spoke. Every time Charlie was in the same room all Marge would do was insult her and lament to Vernon and Petunia how hard it must be to raise her.

At least with her aunt and uncle there were periods of time where they ignored her. Marge wouldn’t give her a break and her bulldog was driving her crazy. Twice had he managed to bite Charlie’s ankles when she wasn’t quick enough to get out of the way. When he was in a particularly foul mood he would snarl and chase her throughout the house until she managed to lock herself in her bedroom or escape outside.

Marge thought it was great fun.

On the fifth day she inched into the kitchen to help cook dinner. Ripper was resting on the floor in front of the backyard entrance and Charlie eyed him warily. Ripper growled, low and deep, but did not move a muscle.

Petunia had already laid out the ingredients for stew and Charlie began to put them together in a pot, following the recipe on the card propped against the toaster. Vernon, Marge, Petunia and Dudley were in the living room, watching television as the adults talked animatedly about the news that had been dominating the airwaves—apparently a prisoner named Sirius Black had escaped.

After an hour the food was finished and Charlie set the table. “It’s ready!” she called.

Her relatives and Marge filed into the kitchen and Charlie waited until they had all piled food onto their dishes before she collected her share. Petunia poured brandy, which Vernon had bought that afternoon, into the wine glasses.

Marge downed it like it was water. The bottle was slowly draining with each refill Petunia gave Marge. The more she drank the louder her voice and the wilder her hand gestures. When it came time for dessert Petunia took the blueberry pie out of the fridge.

“Start with the dishes,” she said to Charlie shortly.

“Yes, Aunt Petunia.”

Charlie collected the dirty plates, bowls, utensils and cups and brought them over to the sink. She turned on the water and squirted lemon-scented dish soap around the stopper.

“Get me a soda!” demanded Dudley.

Taking orders from her aunt and uncle were one thing. Taking them from Dudley was another matter entirely—as in she refused to comply. She had to draw the line somewhere.

“The fridge is right there, Dudley,” she answered.

“Don’t you talk to Duddy like that!” snapped Marge. “You do what he says!”

“His legs are perfectly functional,” said Charlie patiently. “If he wants a drink, he can get it himself. I’m not his maid.”

“Rotten girl,” hissed Marge. “Should have known nothing could be done to fix you into a proper young lady. Perhaps you shouldn’t bother paying for finishing school, Vernon. Trash is born from trash, after all.”

Charlie’s hands stilled in the building water, bubbles coating her hands.

“Nothing against you, Petunia. You’re a fine woman. There was something clearly wrong with that sister of yours. Galivanting off with a, who was he, Vernon, a magician? Not right in the head, she was. Seems such deficiencies can be passed down. It’s a good thing Dudley comes from good stock. He has a future. Unlike that one. She’s going to end up like her parents.”

“Please stop,” said Charlie softly, her hands starting to tremble with anger.

“Don’t you tell me what to do, girl! You better learn to bear the truth. Your parents were useless. Worthless. That’s why they died in a car crash—they had nothing to contribute to the world and the world decided to take them out.”

Rage roared in Charlie’s veins.

Marge suddenly stopped speaking. Her face contorted with confusion and then horror as her body began to swell. Marge blew up like a massive balloon, floating to the ceiling. Dudley screamed and sprinted out of the kitchen. Petunia began to shriek uncontrollably. Vernon leapt for his sister, trying to grasp an ankle, but Ripper got in his way and he tripped over the dog.

Charlie ran.

The cupboard door flew open when she reached it and she seized her trunk with one hand and her broomstick with the other. She dragged her trunk upstairs with ugly thudding sounds and burst into her bedroom. She flung an assortment of clothes and her textbooks into the trunk along with her letters and birthday presents.

There was no way she was sticking around for the fallout of this. It didn’t matter that it was an accident. Vernon was going to have her head for this one.

She lugged the trunk back downstairs with her broomstick tucked under one arm. She found Dudley cowering in the living room doorway, staring at her in fear.

“There’s nothing I can do to put her back to normal,” said Charlie in a rush, grabbing the doorknob with one hand. “I didn’t even mean to do it in the first place. Someone is going to be here soon to help, so unless you want Aunt Marge to stay a balloon forever, stop Uncle Vernon from chasing whoever shows up away.”

She threw upon the door. “Sorry!” she hollered over her shoulder, though she was sure her apology was drowned out by their frantic screaming, and she hurried into the night.

She carried her trunk down the street and away from Privet Drive. She didn’t stop until she was a few blocks away and she set her trunk against a lamppost. She dropped onto the lid and caught her breath, her heart still pounding in her chest.

Now what was she going to do? She was most definitely expelled now. She’d already received her only warning last year, when Dobby used the Levitation Charm to make a pudding drop onto her uncle’s prospective clients. This was far worse, and to top it off, she had run away.

Though now she was properly thinking about it, that thought brought her some bit of comfort. Ruining a business proposition for her uncle was ten times worse than blowing up his sister, and he hadn’t kicked her out or killed her.

But returning to Privet Drive did not seem like a bright idea at the moment.

_Dobby could bring me to The Burrow. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. I could always send Dobby to them, to ask for permission._

She opened her mouth, her lips forming Dobby’s name, and she paused when her eyes caught something moving across the street. She leaned forwards and squinted, watching the bushes of the neighbouring garden rustle.

She retrieved her wand from her trunk and got up, creeping slowly across the street. She froze when a pair of yellow eyes suddenly shone through the darkness, staring straight at her. It gave a low, prolonged growl and shifted—its back arched through the leaves, wide and massive.

_Is that a wolf?!_

Charlie frantically backtracked, keeping all of her attention on the creature in the bushes. Her heel smacked into the edge of the curb and she tripped, falling hard to the concrete. She hastily got to her knees, blindly thrusting out her wand arm, but she lost her grip and her wand clattered to the sidewalk.

The eyes were gone.

“What the heck—”

Her words were cut off with a surprised shriek as a giant purple vehicle came out of nowhere and screeched to a stop directly in front of her.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus!” a teenager greeted, standing on the steps and grinning at her. “Stick out your wand hand and we'll come for ya!"

Charlie picked up her wand and craned her neck, regarding the triple-decker bus with wide eyes. She had no idea what was going on, but she wasn’t going to reject a miracle. “Uh…how much would a trip to London be?”

"Eleven Sickles.”

Charlie opened the lid of her trunk and found her money pouch. It was leftover from her back to school shopping last year and relief flooded through her when she discovered she had enough to pay bus fare. She handed over the money and he helped her move her trunk onto the bus. Charlie clutched her broom and followed after him.

“Hello,” the driver greeted.

“Hi.”

The bus was full of beds. Candles were the source of lighting, nestled neatly in metal candle holders. The teenager was sticking her trunk under the bed closest to the front. “Never seen you ‘ere before,” he said. “I'm Stan Shunpike and the driver is Ernie Prang.”

“Charlie,” she replied. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Have a seat, Charlie. Let’s be off, Ern.”

Charlie was flung back against her bed as the bus lurched forwards at a tremendous speed. She grabbed one of the bedposts to keep herself from tumbling about and dug her knees into the mattress. A newspaper flew down the aisle and hit her in the face. Charlie spluttered for a moment before yanking it off. The headline was large and glaring; **BLACK STILL NOT FOUND**

_He was on the Muggle news._

Charlie frowned in confusion and read through the article. Sirius Black was an escaped convict from Azkaban, having been incarcerated for murdering thirteen people with a single curse. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was promising they were doing everything they could to bring Black to justice.

"Sirius Black—he killed all those people? Why?”

“Big supporter of You-Know-‘Oo, he was,” said Stan with a grave nod. “Went mental after ‘e was defeated. Killed a wizard an’ a whole lot o’ Muggles in broad daylight. Caused a right mess. Black was laughin’ when Aurors came to arrest ‘im.”

Charlie eyed the mug shot that was just below the article. _I hope he stays far away from me. He probably doesn't have a high regard for the Girl-Who-Lived._

As Charlie was the last one to board the Knight Bus, she would be the last one to get off. When everyone else departed, Stan turned to her and asked where in London she wanted to go. She told him Diagon Alley, as it was really the only place she knew relatively well, and a few minutes later the bus pulled up outside the Leaky Cauldron.

She grabbed her trunk and broom and went down the steps. “Thank you,” she said gratefully to Stan and Ernie. “Really.”

"Charlotte!”

Charlie whirled around to see Fudge hurrying towards her. Stan peered at Charlie and he asked eagerly, “Charlotte Potter?”

Charlie gave a feeble smile. “That’s me.”

“Ern, Charlie Potter was on our bus!” said Stan excitedly. “Imagine that!”

Fudge grasped Charlie’s shoulders and sent a curt nod towards the gaping pair on the bus. “Thank you for bringing her here safely. Come along, Charlotte, we really must have a chat.”

“Bye!” Charlie called as Fudge urged her towards the pub. “Thanks so much for the ride! I appreciate it!”

“Bye, Charlie!” said Stan with a wave.

When Fudge entered the Leaky Cauldron with Charlie in tow Tom, the barkeeper, beamed with relief. “There she is!”

“Indeed. A private parlour, if you please Tom.”

They entered a parlour which was stocked with warm tea and various pastries. Charlie peered out the window, spotting the first rays of morning light, and realized she had been on the Knight Bus for hours.

"I am Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic," Fudge introduced. He extended his hand and Charlie shook it.

"Hello, sir. It's nice to meet you." She eased into a chair and said nervously, “I suppose this is about my Aunt Marge.”

“Ah, yes. Members of our Accidental Magic Reversal squad were dispatched several hours ago to put her back to normal and erase her memory of what occurred.”

“Good,” said Charlie sincerely. “Uh…my aunt and uncle…”

She trailed off, not quite knowing what to say, but Fudge understood. He cleared his throat and said, “Yes, well, they were quite furious, but they said you are allowed to come back next summer so long as you stay at Hogwarts for the holidays.”

_Which I always do, anyway. They should be cooled off by next year._

“I really am sorry,” muttered Charlie, rubbing the back of her neck. “I didn’t mean it.”

"Think nothing of it. You can hardly control accidental magic.”

“Does that mean I’m not expelled?” asked Charlie carefully.

“Not at all.”

Charlie was bewildered. They didn’t even know if the incident _was_ a case of accidental magic. Was there even a way to tell the difference between the two? She didn’t think so, since the Ministry had no idea that it was a house-elf’s magic responsible for the Levitation Charm. But she wasn’t going to argue the point. The night was, strangely, going rather well for her, all things considered.

Charlie picked at a muffin and said, “Minister—”

“Mr. Fudge, if you please, Charlotte.”

“Mr. Fudge, I don’t really have any place to stay. I’m not sure what my aunt and uncle said, but I know they’re not going to let me back in the house until next summer.”

Fudge coughed awkwardly. “Right. No need to worry about that. Tom has a spare room here for you that you can use for the next two weeks.”

Charlie’s brow furrowed. “How much would that cost?”

“Oh, it would be for free, of course.”

“I couldn’t do that,” said Charlie, stricken.

“Tom’s more than happy to provide you board for the rest of the summer. It works out for the best. Diagon Alley is always quite busy. Lots of people around. Yes, this is the best place for us to keep an eye on you.”

“Okay.” Curious, Charlie asked, “Is there any more news on Sirius Black?”

Fudge choked on his tea, and it took him a minute to recover. “No, no, not yet. He’s still out there. But we’re collecting new leads every day, so it’s only a matter of time before we close in on him.”

Tom returned a few minutes later and handed Charlie a key to her room. Fudge stood and shook her hand. “I’ll let you turn in, Charlotte. I’m sure it’s been an exciting night. I do ask that you stick to Diagon Alley and don’t traverse around Muggle London.”

“Okay.”

“Be back to the Leaky Cauldron before dark.”

“Er, yes, sir.”

“Good girl. Have a good school year, Charlotte.”

As he was about to leave the parlour Charlie was struck with an idea. “Mr. Fudge?”

“Yes?”

“My uncle never got the chance to sign my permission form. Third-years are allowed to go to Hogsmeade. I don’t suppose you can sign it?”

“I’m afraid not,” said Fudge quickly. “The rules state a guardian must be the one to sign. Perhaps next year, eh?”

 _In my dreams._ “Yes, Mr. Fudge,” she said instead.

Fudge bid goodbye and left. Tom collected her trunk and Charlie followed him to where she would be staying for the next two weeks. She thanked him and he closed the door behind him, leaving her to study her new quarters.

“Well, there’s no bloodthirsty dogs here. Dobby!”

Her house-elf appeared before her and he peered around in confusion. "What is Charlotte Potter doing here?"

"I accidentally blew up my aunt. My relatives were furious and I didn’t think it would be a good idea to stick around so I left. I accidentally summoned the Knight Bus and I asked it to bring me here.”

"Miss is all right?” he asked anxiously.

"Perfectly fine," she assured him with a smile. "Could you please bring Snowy here?"

Dobby nodded and, in a flash, he was back with Snowy and her cat supplies. Charlie beamed and unlocked the carrier. Snowy purred in contentment as she curled around Charlie’s legs before prowling off to explore the room. 

"Thanks, Dobby. I appreciate you looking after her."

“Charlotte Potter is most welcome!”

He gave a bow and Disapparated. Charlie settled at the edge of the bed and Snowy hopped into her lap. Charlie scratched her behind the ears and said softly, “Nice setup, right?”

But even though the evening turned out far better than Charlie expected, there were still some thoughts that wouldn’t stop swirling through her mind.

_Why would the Minister of Magic be waiting for me at the Leaky Cauldron if he wasn’t going to expel me? Why does he seem so worried about me wandering off?_

Something didn’t feel quite right. Charlie didn’t like it when things didn’t feel right. It usually meant trouble for her.

...

She managed to catch a few hours of sleep and woke midafternoon. She sat up with a yawn, stretching her arms over her head. It took a minute for her to remember that she was alone in Diagon Alley, and a grin stretched across her face.

_Way better than staying at Privet Drive._

She climbed out of bed, got dressed and ran a hairbrush through her long raven hair. After getting a decent number of knots out, she shoved her feet into her only pair of sneakers and went down the long passage.

Since it was prime lunch hour, the pub was quite busy. Witches and wizards clustered together on stools and at tables, laughing and chatting. Charlie inched her way towards the bar, where Tom was making drinks and taking orders from his customers.

“Hi, Tom,” she greeted.

"Ah, I was wondering if I’d be seeing you today.”

“It was a late night,” she said sheepishly.

“It certainly was. What are your plans?”

"I was thinking of going to Gringotts, and then just wander around Diagon Alley. Is that okay?”

“Of course,” said Tom with a nod. “Remember to be back before dark.”

"Sure thing. See you later!"

She went through the secret entrance and grinned as Diagon Alley appeared before her, bright and cheerful as always.

“This might just be the best summer ever.”

She went to Gringotts to collect some money for her school supplies. She didn’t have a plan after that and was happy to walk past the shops, occasionally popping in to explore items she had never seen before.

This was how she spent most of her days. Quite a bit of time was spent gawking at the newest broomstick on display at the Quality Quidditch Supplies shop. There was no price listed and Charlie figured that meant the Firebolt was very expensive.

There was an ice-cream parlour in Diagon Alley, owned by Florean Fortescue. The first time Charlie approached him, her bangs had been blown to the side, revealing her scar. He insisted that she have her sundae free of charge, despite her attempts to pay him.

There were still essays she needed to finish, and Charlie found that the best spot to do homework was at one of Fortescue’s tables. It was brighter than the dimly-lit pub and Fortescue enjoyed proofreading her essays.

Charlie kept her word and always made it back to the Leaky Cauldron before dark, where she would have a conversation about her day with Tom before retiring to her room.

It was the last day of summer holidays when she encountered her three best friends. She discovered Harry, Ron and Hermione waiting for her in the pub and Hermione squealed in excitement, hurrying to hug her.

"Charlie! How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks! How was your trip?”

“It was lovely. I have so much to tell you.”

“But our summer holiday stories can wait. Come on, let’s have it.” Ron leaned forwards with a grin. “Tell us what happened to your aunt.”

“I can’t believe you blew up Petunia,” said Harry with a snicker.

“It wasn’t Aunt Petunia. It was Aunt Marge. She isn’t technically my aunt, but they’ve made me call her that my whole life.”

“What happened?” asked Hermione worriedly.

Charlie gave an embarrassed shrug. “She was saying horrible things about my parents. I got angry and she just…puffed up and floated to the ceiling. For some reason accidental magic always happens when I get angry. I don’t know why.”

"Your relatives must have freaked out,” said Harry with a shudder.

“I’m surprised the neighbours didn’t come investigate with all the screaming they were doing,” muttered Charlie. “I ran off before they could get their hands on me. I accidentally summoned the Knight Bus and asked it to take me here. Minister Fudge was waiting for me, and told me to stay here for the remainder of the summer.” Her brow furrowed. “I saw something really weird, just after I ran away from Privet Drive.”

“How weird?” asked Ron warily.

“It was this big black…thing. It was too big to be a dog. I saw it in some bushes and it was staring at me. I tried putting some distance between us and I tripped. That’s how I brought the Knight Bus to me. I flung my wand hand out, preparing to defend myself if it came closer, and dropped my wand when I fell.”

"Wild,” said Harry in awe.

“I’m just glad you’re safe,” said Hermione.

“How did you know what happened to me?” asked Charlie curiously.

“Dad found out what you did to your aunt when he went back to work at the Ministry. I sent Hermione and Harry an owl and let them know. We arranged to meet here today. I would have sent you a letter but, you know, you were going to be here anyway,” explained Ron.

“Do you have your report card?” asked Hermione, practically bouncing with excitement.

“Yeah, it’s in my trunk.”

“It’s basically all she could talk about on the way here,” said Harry, rolling his eyes.

Hermione glared. “It was not.”

Charlie laughed. “Come on.”

They trooped upstairs and settled on Charlie’s bed. Charlie collected her report card and Hermione pulled hers from her pocket. “Now,” she said eagerly.

They all tore the envelopes open and removed the piece of parchment. To no one’s surprise, Hermione received perfect grades.

 **Astronomy:** O **  
Charms:** O **  
Defense Against the Dark Arts:** O **  
Herbology:** O **  
History of Magic:** O **  
Potions:** O **  
Transfiguration:** O

“I’m shocked,” deadpanned Ron. “Really, I am.”

“I’ll go next,” said Charlie with a laugh.

 **Astronomy:** O **  
Charms:** O **  
Defense Against the Dark Arts:** O **  
Herbology:** E **  
History of Magic:** E **  
Potions:** O **  
Transfiguration:** O

"I’m very disappointed,” said Harry with a mock-frown.

“If only I had Hermione’s memory,” said Charlie. "All right guys, let Hermione see if she succeeded in making you honorary Ravenclaws."

Harry glanced at Ron, who made a forward motion with his hand. “Go ahead, mate.”

 **Astronomy:** E **  
Charms:** E **  
Defense Against the Dark Arts:** O **  
Herbology:** E **  
History of Magic:** E **  
Potions:** O **  
Transfiguration:** O

“I did it,” said Harry in shock.

"Well done!" Hermione cried. "I knew you could do it!”

Ron took a deep breath and held his out, fearful that his grades wouldn't be up to par with his friends.

 **Astronomy:** O **  
Charms:** T **  
Defense Against the Dark Arts:** T **  
Herbology:** E **  
History of Magic:** E **  
Potions:** O  
 **Transfiguration:** T

"No way,” he breathed.

“All right, we did it!” cheered Harry, high-fiving him.

“Wouldn’t have managed my Potions grade if you didn’t let me borrow your wand for stirring,” said Ron gratefully.

“No problem. Just had to time it when Snape wasn’t looking at us,” replied Harry.

“You’ll do much better in the classes that require more wand work,” assured Hermione. “You won’t have a broken one this year.”

“Do you think we could get that first?” asked Ron hopefully.

“Sure,” said Charlie with a nod.

They left the Leaky Cauldron and entered Diagon Alley. They went to Ollivander’s, where Ron got a brand-new wand—fourteen inches, willow with a unicorn hair as the core.

The next stop was Madam Malkin’s for new robes, as Harry and Ron seemed to grow several inches each summer. Charlie was finally able to replace her old black robes with specialty Ravenclaw robes. Charlie had thought about buying a set last year when her friends were buying their House robes, but they had grown out of their first-year ones and Charlie’s had still fit, and she was hesitant to replace them when they were still perfectly fine to wear.

Flourish and Blotts was next and Charlie watched with sympathy as the shopkeeper wrangled three monster books out of the wire cage that contained them. Ron held his out with disbelief. “Maybe taking Care of Magical Creatures was a bad idea.”

“Can’t pull out now,” said Harry, shoving his into his bag. “How come you didn’t get one?” he directed at Charlie.

“Hagrid sent me one for my birthday.”

Harry frowned. “Why would Hagrid send you a textbook on your birthday?”

“He’s going to be the teacher, isn’t he?”

Ron’s mouth dropped. “You’re joking!”

“Well, it’s the only reason I can think of. He said in his letter that he had a surprise for me this year and that the book was a hint.”

“That’s going to be one interesting class,” said Harry with wide eyes.

Ron grinned broadly. “This is brilliant! If I’m late on an essay, he’ll just give me an extension!”

“Of course that’s the first thing you think of,” said Charlie with a shake of her head.

They went to collect the rest of their textbooks. As Charlie, Ron and Harry were picking up their Divination book, Charlie spotted a book resting on a small display table. It was about death omens and on the cover was a big black dog—extraordinarily similar to the one she had seen last night.

_Uh oh._

She backed away, a chill running down her spine. A hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped. “Whoa,” said Harry in surprise. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay,” said Charlie quickly, grateful for the distraction.

“Ron found the textbook we need for Transfiguration.”

“Okay, great.”

When they had all their books gathered, they paid for them and huddled by the door to wait for Hermione. When the minutes went by and Hermione hadn’t appeared, Harry asked in confusion, “Where is she?”

“There,” said Ron, pointing towards one of the stacks. “What is she carrying?!”

Hermione darted out, a massive stack of books in her arms. She returned to her friends after paying for them, multiple bags hanging from her shoulders.

"Hermione, you’re going to break your back,” said Ron. The sheer number of books in her possession repulsed him and he shied away. “What are you doing?”

"I signed up for every elective,” said Hermione. “So of course I need all sorts of books.”

“That’s impossible,” said Harry flatly. “There’s not enough time in the week to take all those classes.”

“Sure there is,” said Hermione simply.

She swept by them and left the store. The boys stared at Charlie, who shrugged. “Guess she’s talking all the classes. Somehow.”

They joined Hermione outside and Harry glanced at his watch. "We still have an hour before we have to meet up with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Where do you want to go next?"

"Can we go to Magical Menagerie? Scabbers hasn't been feeling well." Ron dug out a sickly-looking rat from his pocket. “He’s been like this for days.”

“I would like to get an animal this year, and I have some money left over,” spoke Hermione

Charlie sent Hermione an amused look. “Your parents didn’t let you get an animal first year because you were buying extra books. You’re buying twice the amount of books this year and you’re allowed to get a pet?”

Hermione smiled sheepishly. “I think they’ve given up, to be honest.”

They went to the magical pet store and Ron promptly went up to the counter to get his rat looked over. Charlie stocked up on some cat supplies and Harry trailed after her as she moved through the store. “Have you slipped up yet?”

“Nearly,” said Harry feelingly. “Though I manage to catch myself. I thought the summer was difficult but keeping it a secret this year is going to be even harder.”

Charlie arched an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

“You'll find out on the train,” said Harry mysteriously. “Thank you for the birthday gift, by the way. It's fascinating what weird creatures you Muggles have."

“What was your favourite?”

“The giraffe. They’ve got such long necks, and the spots are so cool.”

A shout from the other end of the shop caught their attention. They hurried over to investigate and found an orange cat pawing at the gap between the floor and the front counter. Ron was kicking at it, trying to scare it off.

“Get away!” he roared. “Get away from my rat!”

A shopkeeper grabbed the cat around the middle and hauled it away. Ron flattened to the floor and took hold of Scabbers. He sent a furious glare at the cat before storming out of the shop. Harry and Charlie exchange a confused glance before following him.

“What was that about?” asked Harry.

“It came out nowhere! Scared the life out of Scabbers.”

It was understandable that when a few minutes later Hermione came out of shop with the large orange cat in her arms, Ron was upset.

“Get that thing away from us!” he snapped, folding his hands protectively over Scabbers.

"He is not a thing,” said Hermione indigently. “His name is Crookshanks.”

“What’s wrong with you?” demanded Ron. “Didn’t you see him go after Scabbers?”

When Hermione started to bristle Harry stepped between them. “Don’t worry, Ron. You’re in Gryffindor Tower. He’ll be fine.”

“I suppose,” said Ron, relaxing slightly. “Just make sure you keep him locked up on the train.”

“Fine,” said Hermione with a sniff.

They had a bit of time remaining, so Charlie showed her friends the Firebolt, which Ron and Harry practically swooned over. They returned to the Leaky Cauldron and Tom led them to a parlour, where the Weasley family was gathered around a table.

“Charlotte!” exclaimed Mrs. Weasley, giving her a tight hug. “I was so worried when Arthur told me what happened! You shouldn’t have run away!”

“I’m sorry,” said Charlie.

Mrs. Weasley tucked Charlie’s hair behind her ear, bringing it out of her face. “Well, it’s done now and you’re safe. That’s what matters. Get yourself a plate, dear.”

As they ate, Mr. Weasley informed them that the Ministry would be sending them a couple of cars to take them to King's Cross. Charlie tried asking why, for it was never something they had done before, but all Mr. Weasley said was that they were doing him a favour.

The rest of the evening passed with the exchanging of stories. The Weasleys shared their holiday antics in Egypt and Hermione revealed all that she had learned in France. Harry and Charlie contributed the least to the conversation, for their summers were rather boring in comparison, and Charlie only regaled them with the tale of Aunt Marge because the twins were persistent.

It came time for them all to head to bed. The Weasleys, along with Harry and Hermione, had all booked rooms so that the Ministry cars would only have to make one stop. Charlie made sure that she had everything packed and, as she set Snowy’s cat carrier on top of her trunk, she realized her cat was not in the room.

“Like a phantom, she is,” muttered Charlie.

She slipped out of the room and walked down the narrow passage in search for her cat. She paused when she heard voices arguing at the other end. She identified them as belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and she started to backtrack, not wanting to interrupt their spat.

"—but Charlotte needs to know!"

_Wait, what?_

"Charlotte doesn't need to know anything!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "I agree with Fudge; Charlotte should be kept in the dark about this. The truth would terrify her!"

"She needs to be prepared! I agree that she doesn’t deserve to have this knowledge plaguing her while she’s at Hogwarts, but it’s for the best. They have a knack for getting into trouble, those four. The Philosopher’s Stone, the Chamber of Secrets—no matter what they’re told, they’re always investigating something! They can’t do that this year. I’m immensely grateful that she managed to summon the Knight Bus, however accidentally. She might have been dead otherwise.”

_Dead?!_

“She’s a clever girl,” defended Mrs. Weasley. “You know she ran away because of those horrid relatives of hers. She wouldn’t have wandered in the dark all night. I’m sure she would have asked Dobby to take her to The Burrow.”

“Where she would have been alone, with only a house-elf to defend her. Dobby’s magic is powerful, but Sirius Black is insane. He broke out of Azkaban days ago and there hasn’t been a trace of him.”

“She won’t be alone at school! Dumbledore will protect her.”

“I’ve no doubt he will. But Black is determined to kill her, Molly.”

_You gotta be kidding me._

“No one knows that for certain,” insisted Mrs. Weasley.

"There were only two words Black was muttering before his escape; 'Hogwarts' and 'Potter'. When Charlotte defeated You-Know-Who, she took everything from Black. He was his number one supporter.”

Mrs. Weasley was quiet for a moment. "Has Dumbledore done everything he can to protect Hogwarts?"

"He’s allowed Azkaban guards to patrol the entrances to castle grounds. You know how he despises them. He’s doing everything he can to ensure Charlotte’s safety.”

“I still don’t think you should tell her,” said Mrs. Weasley fiercely. “That girl has been through so much. Let her believe she’s going to have a normal year.”

Their voices started to sound closer and Charlie hastily ducked back into her room, shutting the door silently behind her. When she was certain they were gone she trudged to the parlour where they had eaten supper and found her cat curled up beneath one of the tables.

“Come on,” she said wearily, scooping Snowy into her arms. “Time for bed.”

_Not that I’m going to be able to sleep now._

At least this revelation answered her questions. Fudge was waiting for her at the Leaky Cauldron because he wanted to make sure she was safe. He didn’t expel her because if she was stuck at the Dursleys, she would most certainly be killed by this vengeful wizard convict. The Ministry cars were a security measure. Hogsmeade was out of the question, and not just because her aunt and uncle didn’t sign it.

_Can't I go one year without someone trying to kill me?_


	3. Darn Dementors

When Mrs. Weasley knocked on her bedroom door, calling for her to get up, Charlie trudged out of bed. She got dressed and went into the parlour for breakfast. She wasn’t particularly hungry, but she managed to eat a plate of eggs and toast so Mrs. Weasley would be pacified.

When they were finished eating the Hogwarts students collected their trunks and went outside the Leaky Cauldron, where two gleaming black Ministry cars were waiting by the curb. The trunks were loaded into the boots and they piled into the cars. Harry, Hermione, Charlie and Ron were squeezed in the backseat with their animal cages in their laps. Mr. Weasley and a wizard from the Ministry were in the front.

“This is sort of weird, don’t you think?” whispered Harry.

Ron shrugged. “Well, Dad said they owed him a favour,” he replied in an equally low voice.

“There are better ways for a favour to be paid, though.”

The redhead’s brow furrowed. “Huh. I didn’t think about it like that.”

“I think it’s very nice of them,” spoke Hermione. “What do you think, Charlie?”

“Yeah, nice,” said Charlie, resting her chin against her knuckles as she looked out the window.

_Very nice of them to keep me protected from a mass murderer._

They arrived at King’s Cross and they all trooped into the station. Muggles sent them odd looks as they went by and Charlie found herself peering into the early morning commuter crowd, as if Black might be hiding amongst them.

_Great. I’m not even at Hogwarts yet and I’m already paranoid._

Mr. Weasley directed them through the barrier and two by two they appeared on Platform 9 ¾. The scarlet engine brought Charlie a sense of comfort. This time the threat was outside of the castle, and surely it would be impossible for Black to get inside its walls.

Mr. Weasley came up next to her and said, “Charlotte, can I speak to you for a moment?”

“Sure.”

He wandered away from the others, his eyes peering warily at Mrs. Weasley, who was currently fussing over Ginny. “There’s no easy way to say this, but—”

“Sirius Black wants to kill me.” Mr. Weasley gaped at her and Charlie said in embarrassment, “I overheard you and Mrs. Weasley speaking last night. Sorry.”

“This is exactly why I wanted to tell you,” said Mr. Weasley with a worried frown. “You have a tendency to know far more than you’re supposed to.”

“I know,” muttered Charlie. “But I’ll behave this year.”

“It’s imperative that you do,” said Mr. Weasley sternly. “I need you to promise me that you won’t go looking for Sirius Black.”

“I won’t,” said Charlie quickly. “I promise.”

“Good. I really hope you didn’t worry yourself silly. I would have preferred to tell you myself.”

“It’s okay,” assured Charlie. “Really. Thank you for telling me.”

“You’re welcome, Charlotte.”

He gave her a strong hug and led her back over to Mrs. Weasley, who just finished embracing Hermione and Harry. Mrs. Weasley gave Charlie a hug and bid goodbye. Charlie, Hermione, Ron and Harry lugged their trunks onto the train. They found a compartment that had one very familiar occupant.

“Wow, talk about lucky,” said Harry with a grin. “Guys, meet our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.”

“Your uncle is going to teach at Hogwarts?” asked Hermione in excitement.

"Yeah,” said Harry proudly. “Dumbledore asked him to teach this year.”

They placed their trunks in the luggage racks above the seats. Harry sat beside his uncle, who was dead asleep, and his friends sat across from him.

"Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Charlie.

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” replied Harry.

"Is he all right?" Ron asked in bemusement.

"Oh, he's fine. He didn't get much sleep last night, since he was preparing for his first lessons and all." Harry prodded his uncle and chuckled when he didn't stir. “He can be a really heavy sleeper sometimes.”

“So if I needed to tell you something I didn’t want anyone else to know, he wouldn’t hear it?” wondered Charlie.

“Considering how loud he’s snoring, definitely not.”

“What happened?” asked Hermione seriously.

“I don’t know if you noticed Mr. Weasley pulling me away. He told me that Sirius Black is after me. He wants to kill me.”

Hermione gasped in horror. "Oh, no!”

Harry shook his head in dismay. "Why can't we get a year to just relax and not fear for our lives?"

"I don't know why you're complaining. Black is after me, not you," Charlie pointed out.

"So you assume,” muttered Harry.

The group was silent for a moment. "Do you think Black knows about you and Charlie?" Ron whispered.

Hermione frowned. "I don't see how he could. It seems like only a few select people know, including Professor Lupin and Professor Dumbledore. If Voldemort doesn’t know, how could Black?"

“Did Professor Lupin sign your permission slip for Hogsmeade?” Charlie directed at Harry.

“Yeah. Why?”

“You’re safe,” said Charlie dryly. “For obvious reasons, my aunt and uncle refused to sign mine. But when I asked Mr. Fudge, he also refused. I thought it was just because he wasn’t my guardian. Now I know it’s because he didn’t want me in plain sight in Hogsmeade with little protection.”

“But we were going to have so much fun,” said Ron in disappointment. “My entire life I’ve had to hear stories about Hogsmeade and all the cool stuff they have. I was looking forward to exploring with you lot.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Charlie. “I have another story that’s much less depressing, if you want to hear it.”

“Please,” said Harry.

She told them all about Snape’s visit and Ron gaped at her. “He actually showed _concern_ for your well-being? I don't believe it. It must have been because Dumbledore ordered him to."

“Professor Snape did save Charlie's life in our first year, and he was much less mean to her last year," Hermione said. “Maybe he’s beginning to change his attitude towards her.”

Ron rolled his blue eyes. "Can you get him to expand that change in attitude to the rest of us?"

To pass the time, Hermione dug out a deck of Muggle playing cards and she and Charlie taught Ron and Harry some card games. The hours blurred by as they played game after game, and they were in the middle of a rousing round of Crazy Eights when the lights flickered twice before going out completely.

Frightened cries of students rang out from the other compartments and the four kids tensed. “What’s going on?” asked Hermione nervously.

"I don't know," Harry whispered.

The train started to slow down before it came to a complete stop with a rough lurch. Unprepared for the movement they collided into the fold-out table with yelps of surprise and pain. A bright light illuminated their compartment and Remus’ tired, sunken face regarded them all in concern. “Are you kids okay?” he asked softly, taking Harry’s arm in a comforting grip.

“We’re fine, Uncle Remus,” said Harry. “Why did the train stop?”

He moved alert eyes towards the door. “I’ll go see if I can find out. Don’t move.”

He had just straightened up when the compartment door slid open. Charlie’s green eyes locked onto the creature whose body, if it had one, was covered by a long black cloak. The hood was pulled fully over its face. Harry, Ron and Hermione made sounds of terror but they seemed to be coming from a great distance even though they were right beside her. A chill engulfed her from the inside out, as if she were being slowly frozen. She wanted to shiver but she couldn’t feel her body and her vision disappeared. She was drowning in darkness and a terrible screaming came from the depths of her memory.

" _Charlie! Wake up!_ "

Something hard struck the side of her face and Charlie bolted upright. She was gasping for breath, sweat pouring down her face. “What?” she wheezed. “What?”

“It’s okay,” said Remus softly. He grasped Charlie’s hand and helped her stand. He eased her back into her seat and motioned for the others to do the same. Harry and Ron were pale and Hermione was trembling. “I have something that can help.”

He removed a chocolate bar from his pocket and broke it into chunks. He passed them out and Harry immediately popped his piece into his mouth. "That was awful,” he murmured.

“Are you all right, pup?" Remus asked, moving his fingers tenderly through his brunette strands.

"Fine," Harry breathed. "Was that a Dementor?”

“It is,” said Remus grimly. “I brought the chocolate in preparation for Hogwarts. I didn’t think they’d have the audacity to barge onto the Hogwarts Express.”

“I felt like the happiness was being drained from me,” whimpered Hermione as she nibbled on her chocolate.

"That's what they're meant to do.”

"How did you get rid of that thing?" croaked Ron.

"With a Patronus Charm. It’s a very tricky spell and it happens to be the only defense against a Dementor. Mr. Weasley, I presume?"

"That's me," the redhead confirmed and offered his hand to shake.

Remus smiled and shook it firmly. "I've heard much about the lot of you from my ward here. I apologize for not introducing myself last year when we encountered one another.”

“That’s okay,” said Ron. “Er, it probably wasn’t the right time for it, anyway.”

“Quite so.”

“I’m Hermione Granger,” piped up Hermione. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” said Remus warmly, accepting her outstretched hand. “Harry tells me you’re best in their year.”

Hermione beamed. “Did he?”

“Just speaking the truth,” said Harry.

“And of course it’s a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte.” Remus regarded the raven-haired girl with concern. “Though I wish it was under better circumstances. Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, a bit.” Charlie mumbled; her eyes half-lidded.

“You really scared us,” said Harry with a frown. “You just collapsed.”

“Did…did no one else?” asked Charlie uncertainly.

“No, but there’s no shame in it,” assured Remus. “People react to Dementors in different ways.”

In the ten minutes left before the train reached the castle, Remus spent the time wandering between the compartments, checking on the other students. The twins and Ginny came to check on Ron, and by the time they finished talking they arrived at the station. The students swarmed off the train and down the path that led to the hundreds of carriages that would carry them to the castle. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Charlie claimed a carriage and soon they were off, pulled by an invisible force.

“Oh, no,” said Ron with wide eyes.

Charlie followed his gaze and her heart stuttered in her chest at the sight of two more Dementors guarding the Hogwarts gates.

_No no don’t faint don’t faint don’t—_

She was drowning in darkness. Ice was in her veins and the _screaming just wouldn’t stop._ It sounded so far away and she tried to move towards it, but she couldn’t. She was stuck. She felt like she was falling deeper and deeper—

_“Charlie!”_

She jolted with a strangled gasp. When her vision cleared, she found herself lying against Hermione, who was near tears. “I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’m sorry I had to slap you again!”

“It’s fine,” said Charlie with a groan.

The students in the neighbouring carriages were staring at her. Whispering immediately erupted and Ron glared furiously at them. “Oi! Mind your own business!”

Charlie’s limbs felt like jelly and there was no chocolate to dispel the cold this time. “How about this time?” she asked weakly. “Anyone else faint this time?”

Harry winced. “No.”

They reached the castle and Charlie tried to stand, but every limb shook violently. “I got you,” said Ron quickly.

He knelt low and Charlie managed to climb onto his back. Her arms hung limply around his neck and Ron gripped her legs to keep her secure. As they walked up the stone steps, they encountered Draco and Pansy, who looked utterly delighted by Charlie’s plight.

“Ah, what’s the matter?” sneered Pansy. “Did the little Dementor scare baby Potter?”

“How humiliating,” laughed Draco. “Grow a backbone, Potter.”

“Put a sock in it,” snapped Fred, coming up behind the Slytherin pair.

“You’re one to talk,” scoffed George. “You’re the one who ran into _our_ compartment, practically wetting yourselves.”

“Shut up, Weasley,” snarled Draco, his face flushing red. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

They stormed on ahead and by the time they gathered in front of the Great Hall, all anyone could talk about was the Dementors. Ron tried setting Charlie on the floor and she managed to keep her footing, though she couldn’t stop shaking.

“She fainted for the second time when we went by the Dementors at the gates,” said Hermione worriedly to Fred and George.

“You ought to go to Madam Pomfrey,” said Fred seriously.

“I’m fine,” said Charlie firmly.

The doors opened and McGonagall strode out. She ordered the students to settle down and to file into the Great Hall. Her keen eyes spotted Hermione and Charlie among the crowd and she said, “Miss Granger, if you could follow me to my office. Miss Potter, please wait in the Entrance Hall.”

Ron and Harry shot them curious glances and Charlie shrugged. Hermione went with McGonagall and Charlie stood off to the side as everyone else entered the Great Hall. Flitwick soon came out with Madam Pomfrey and Charlie winced.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Really.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Pomfrey crisply. “To the infirmary wing.”

Quelling a sigh, Charlie trudged after them. Once she was in the infirmary she obediently sat on a cot and held still as Pomfrey checked her over. Flitwick was pacing in front of her, muttering to himself. “I can’t believe this. Sending a Dementor onto a train full of students. What was he thinking?”

_He?_

"A fool,” said Pomfrey in annoyance.

_Definitely not talking about Dumbledore._

“Will she need to spend the night here?” asked Flitwick.

_Oh, please no. Draco and Pansy would have a field day._

"She's a bit pale, but nothing some chocolate won't fix."

Pomfrey pulled a piece from her pocket and Charlie wondered if every teacher carried some of it around with them now that the Dementors were on Hogwarts property. She gratefully accepted it and popped the candy into her mouth.

“Thank you.”

"You’re very welcome.” Pomfrey pulled out her wand and ran it over Charlie. Charlie was familiar with this magic, as it had been used on her last year. Pomfrey seemed pleased by the data this time around. “You’ve gained some weight, I see. We’ll keep on with the vitamins, but I think it's safe to skip a meal now and then.”

“That does not mean every day,” Flitwick said sharply. “If you fall back on old habits—”

“I won’t!”

Deeming her to be in good health, they sent her back to the Great Hall. Charlie ignored the stares aimed at her as she walked to Ravenclaw table. She settled on an empty section of the bench and it wasn’t long before Hermione arrived.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing, really. Just wanted to clear some things up about my schedule," Hermione said dismissively. “What about you?”

“I guess Professor Lupin told Professor Flitwick that I fainted on the train. Madam Pomfrey wanted to take a look at me.”

“Did you tell her you fainted twice?”

“No. I expect that would have landed me in the infirmary for the night, and that’s not how I want to spend my first evening at Hogwarts.” When Hermione frowned in disapproval Charlie said reassuringly, “I feel much better now.”

“Well, that’s the main thing,” said Hermione, relenting. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Eventually the first-years were escorted into the Great Hall. When the Sorting Ceremony finished, Dumbledore stood. “Welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts! There are a few points I must touch upon before we tuck into the delicious food.

“As you may have noticed, the Azkaban guards, Dementors, have been stationed around the castle. They are a precautionary measure to ensure Sirius Black does not get anywhere near Hogwarts. Curfew must be obeyed. You will not wander the grounds at night. The Dementors are not fooled by such tricks like Disillusionment Charms or Invisibility Cloaks.”

“Good to know,” Charlie muttered under her breath.

“It is my great pleasure and honour to introduce our newest staff members. Professor Lupin will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor.”

Seated at the High Table, Remus gave a wave and a small smile. As Charlie applauded, she noticed Snape’s glare of pure loathing. He looked as if he would like nothing more than to fling Remus out of the castle himself.

_Geez. He really wants that job._

"Professor Kettleburn retired last year. Taking over his position will be Hagrid!”

“Knew it,” said Charlie with wide grin.

Dumbledore also introduced the new Head Boy and Head Girl, which happened to be Percy and Penelope Clearwater. After that, food appeared on the table, filling the golden plates, and Dumbledore beamed. “That is all! Enjoy the feast!”

...

“What was that man thinking?” hissed McGonagall in fury.

Dumbledore’s blue eyes were cold with displeasure, unseen by the cheerful students. "It seems Fudge thought Sirius Black would somehow find a way to sneak onto the train. I tried to persuade him that it was a ridiculous notion, but he apparently had no need for my input. Were any students negatively affected?”

"Of course they were,” said McGonagall irritably. “They’re Dementors. They're all terrified.”

“Charlotte Potter fainted,” informed Flitwick. “Thank you for alerting me, Remus.”

“I thought you ought to know,” said Remus. “Is she okay?”

“She was shaken, but she seemed to recover nicely after Poppy gave her some chocolate.”

Remus frowned. “I gave her a piece on the train as well. Did she collapse again when she passed by the Dementors at the gates?”

“It appears so,” said Flitwick with a sigh of exasperation. “Which she failed to mention. That girl.”

"She seems to be in bright spirits now, so no harm done. I believe the four sat in your compartment, Remus. How was it?" Albus asked gently.

“It was wonderful,” said Remus sincerely.

When the feast ended the students shuffled off to bed with full stomachs. Remus followed Dumbledore down the corridor and, when they were alone, he asked hesitantly, “Are you sure we can’t tell them? I hear Charlie isn’t happy with her relatives. I would be happy to take her in.”

"I know,” said Dumbledore kindly. “I want to give Charlotte a good life, but she is safest at her relatives. It is now more important than ever that we keep this a secret. Voldemort cannot know Charlotte has a twin.”

"You’re sure James never told Sirius?” pressed Remus. “Harry’s so excited to go to Hogsmeade. I gave him permission, but if there’s the slightest chance—"

“There isn’t,” interjected Dumbledore. “James gave me his word. And you know better than I do that James never broke a promise.”

“It’s as painful as I imagined,” said Remus softly. “Seeing them side-by-side, unaware of who they truly are to each other.”

“We will tell them,” promised Dumbledore. “And we can only hope they will forgive us for decisions made on their behalf, with the full intent on ensuring they would be protected these many years.”

...

Their first class of the following day was Divination, which all four of them had chosen. They crammed together at a small wooden table and sat on cushions with their shoes off. Thick perfume clouds drifted throughout the room. Their teacher, Professor Sybill Trelawney, had instructed them to read their tea leaves.

“Is she serious?” Charlie whispered to Harry.

"Really, what am I supposed to make of this?" Ron stuck his finger into his empty cup and gave the soggy tea leaves a prod. “It’s a giant clump.”

Hermione snorted and shook her head. So far, she considered the class nothing more than a load of rubbish. Charlie tipped her head back, draining the rest of her tea, and stared at the brown mess at the bottom.

"Miss Potter, please tell me the shape of your tea leaves.”

Harry paused from flipping through his textbook, where he had been searching for inspiration, and he glanced at Charlie with an anticipatory grin. Ron mouthed ‘giant clump’ but she ignored him. Charlie stared at her leaves helplessly before suggesting, “A donkey?”

Several snickers broke out and Ron had to turn his head and muffle his laughter against his arm. Trelawney frowned and peered over her shoulder. The professor let out a sudden shriek, causing Charlie to jump a foot in the air. “What?” she cried.

"It's the Grim, dear! Your tea leaves form the Grim!”

Hermione stared at her in disbelief. "Professor, that looks nothing like the death omen!"

"I do believe I know more about the Inner Eye than you do, dear,” said Trelawney with a sniff.

"What do you mean by a death omen?" asked Charlie, feeling her heartbeat pick up.

"If you see the Grim, you die soon after," Trelawney informed her sadly. "Be wary, Miss Potter. The Grim is in your future.”

The large dog she had seen before the Knight Bus arrived. The book of death omens at Flourish and Blotts. Now this.

_These are not the sort of coincidences that I like._

Harry gave his sister a sympathetic glance as Trelawney walked away. "You don't really believe her, do you?"

"Hard not to,” confessed Charlie. “Remember I told you about the dog I saw?”

“It was just that—a dog,” said Hermione with a scoff. “Really, Charlie, don’t tell me you believe a word of what she says.”

“I don’t believe, per se. It’s just weird.”

“So is this class,” said Hermione derisively.

Transfiguration was next. As McGonagall lectured, Charlie was distracted from her notes by Ron’s elbow digging into her side. She glanced over at him and he motioned to Hermione. Her timetable rested by her arm, allowing her friends to get a peek.

According to one of the time slots, she had three classes at the same time.

She stared at Ron, who seemed just as clueless as she was. “Hermione?” Ron whispered. “How is this possible?”

He jabbed at her schedule and Hermione hastily stuffed it into her bag. "It's nothing. Probably a mistake."

Ron turned to Charlie and muttered, “Yeah, some mistake. She bought books for all those classes. And you know if it was really wrong, she’d get someone to fix it immediately.”

“Mr. Weasley!” barked McGonagall. “Is there a matter of great importance that you wish to share it with the class?”

Panicked, Ron blurted, “Professor Trelawney said Charlie was going to die because she saw the Grim in her tea leaves.”

McGonagall seemed to have the same opinion of Trelawney as Hermione did, and launched into a spiel of how it was utterly ridiculous, and that the Divination professor predicted a student’s death every year.

“Got me out of that one,” said Ron lowly.

Though Hermione was outraged by his trickery, Charlie was rather relieved to have an authority figure tell her it was all nonsense.


	4. Chivalry Still Stands

“This is going to be interesting,” muttered Harry.

He, Ron, Charlie and Hermione were gathered in front of Hagrid’s hut along with the rest of their Care of Magical Creatures class. Ron folded his arms and said, “It won’t be dangerous or anything, right? I mean, Dumbledore must have given him guidelines or something.”

“I don’t think guidelines will stop Hagrid,” said Charlie in amusement. “They haven’t before.”

A few minutes later Hagrid emerged, positively beaming with excitement. “Hello, class! Welcome teh yer firs’ Care o’ Magical Creatures lesson! I’m excited teh show yeh what I have prepared. Now, if yeh could please pull out yer books.”

"How?" Pansy demanded. The Slytherin girl held out her green book, which was bound with some tape. "It keeps trying to bite us every time we open it."

Hagrid blinked, astounded. "Er...well, yeh just pet it right down the spine."

"Oh, of course! It's so obvious!" snipped Pansy.

Charlie removed the belt and quickly stroked her finger down the spine. The book immediately went quiet and limp in her hands and Charlie sighed in relief. “Pet the spine. Got it.”

“The shopkeeper could have bloody well told us,” said Ron in annoyance.

“I think if the Flourish and Blotts shopkeeper knew this trick, he would have actually used it to keep the things from tearing each other apart,” said Harry with a snicker.

When everyone got their textbooks under control, Hagrid led them down the field, where a paddock was constructed near the Forbidden Forest. He ordered them to wait near the wooden fence as he went to collect the creatures.

"Put in your guesses,” said Harry with a grin.

"A dragon,” deadpanned Ron.

“A unicorn,” said Charlie hopefully.

"I can't believe you convinced me to take this class," Pansy snapped to Draco, easily heard above the bubble of noise from her peers. "If I had known this brute was teaching the class, I'd have taken Muggle Studies instead!"

"That’s not a bad idea Parkinson,” said Ron loudly. “You should always learn about _both_ sides of your family,"

Charlie elbowed Ron sharply in the side. “Ron!” she hissed.

Last year, Pansy had been among the Petrified when the Basilisk was on its rampage. It came as a shock to the populace of the castle, who couldn’t comprehend why Salazar Slytherin’s own beast would attack a pure-blood Slytherin.

When the news reached the ears of Pansy’s estranged relative, she revealed that Pansy’s mother had gone and cheated with a Muggle-born whom she believed to be a pure-blood. Charlie wasn’t finely tuned with the wizarding world, so she didn’t know the fall-out, and Ron mentioned that the Parkinsons refused to speak to anyone about the matter.

But it was clear that Pansy had fallen out of the good graces of her Housemates. During the Welcoming Feast, Charlie had noticed that Pansy was given the cold shoulder by nearly everyone but Draco and his cronies. She couldn’t begin to imagine what the news must have done to Pansy.

Draco and Pansy turned on Ron, whipping their wands out. Charlie, Ron, Hermione and Harry were quick to raise their own wands. Outnumbered, Pansy and Draco lowered their arms, though if looks could kill Ron would be dead.

"One day, Weasel...one day, you'll get what you deserve,” snarled Pansy.

They stiffly turned their backs and Charlie shot Ron a disapproving look. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“So what?” said Ron uncaringly. “She’s always terrorizing everyone else. Making fun of Muggle-borns and half-bloods. Now she’s no better.”

Surprised gasps caused Charlie’s attention to be diverted and her eyes widened. Hagrid was leading a group of feathered creatures towards them; they looked like a mix between a horse and bird. Hagrid introduced them as Hippogriffs and explained the procedure for approaching them.

_Bow. Wait for them to bow back. Approach. If they don’t bow, run like mad. Don’t insult. Got it._

"Who wants teh go firs'?" Hagrid asked eagerly.

Everyone stood stock still, staring at the Hippogriffs tied to the fenceposts. No one seemed to want to move any closer and Hagrid’s face fell with disappointment. Feeling bad for him, Charlie poked Ron in the shoulder and whispered, “Volunteer with me.”

"Are you crazy?" Ron hissed. "Those things will slice me open!"

"Not if they bow back. And if not, just run. We’ve got a lot of practice at that.” When Ron still seemed hesitant, Charlie persuaded, “Do it for Hagrid.”

“Oh, all right.”

Charlie and Ron raised their hands high in the air and Hagrid beamed at them. “All right, yeh two! Come on over.”

“Don’t die,” said Harry and Hermione shoved his shoulder in rebuke.

Charlie and Ron climbed over the fence and slowly approached the nearest Hippogriff. It raised its head and stared steadily at them. They returned its gaze for a minute before they both lowered into a bow. Ron’s was short and quick, while Charlie lingered in the dip before straightening.

The Hippogriff bent down and returned the bow. Ron breathed a sigh of relief, happily moving closer to stroke its head. Charlie gently touched its feathers, soft against her skin, and she said in awe, “Wow. You’re so beautiful.”

"Do yeh want teh go for a ride?"

Hagrid looked so hopeful that Charlie found she couldn’t refuse him. “Sure,” she agreed.

“I suppose,” said Ron, though his face had paled.

Hagrid told them where to mount and they carefully got onto the Hippogriff’s back. When they were settled, Hagrid smacked the hindquarters of the beast and it took off into the air. Charlie gripped Ron’s waist, gasping as the wind roared past her ears as the Hippogriff gained speed.

"This is mad!" Ron howled.

"It’s like a broomstick!” said Charlie in an attempt of reassurance.

“No it’s not! I’m in control of my broomstick!”

Despite several twists and turns the creature made, Ron and Charlie got used to the rhythm of the ride. Charlie peered around, at the blue sky that stretched out before her and the rolling emerald fields that surrounded the castle. The trees of the Forbidden Forest were mere dots, tightly clustered together.

“All right,” admitted Ron. “This is pretty great.”

“Yeah,” said Charlie softly. “It’s incredible.”

The Hippogriff landed five minutes later and Hagrid clapped them on the back, nearly sending them sprawling to the ground. “Good work, yeh two! Ten points teh Gryffindor an’ Ravenclaw!”

Charlie and Ron remained in the paddock as the other students came forwards, encouraged by their daring interaction with the Hippogriff. Harry grinned at Ron, who was slouched against the fence, catching his breath. “That looked equal parts terrifying and fun.”

“The last bit was okay,” said Ron. “But I think my heart stopped beating when the Hippogriff took off into the air.”

Harry laughed and followed Hermione to a Hippogriff. Pansy and Draco were close to Ron and Charlie, and managed to gain the respect of a grey Hippogriff. Pansy stroked its side, studying it critically. “I don’t see what the fuss is about,” she said, unimpressed. “They’re ugly brutes.”

The Hippogriff reared up with a furious shriek. Its claw rose, the piercing talons glinting in the sunlight. Charlie sprang up from her resting place on the ground. But Ron was ahead of her, lunging for Pansy and shoving her out of the way just as the talons came down. They ripped through his robes and Ron crumpled, crying out in pain. Pansy screamed in terror and leapt over the fence, sprinting back for the castle.

“Oi!” roared Draco in fury. “You stupid blighter!”

Charlie ran forwards and grabbed Draco by the arm. She tried pulling him out of the way but the Hippogriff would not be fooled twice. It dove after them, its rope straining, and Charlie was forced to dive to the ground. Draco yelped as the tips of the Hippogriff’s talons nicked his shoulder, but Charlie managed to get him out of the Hippogriff’s line of fire quickly enough to prevent more damage.

“Did you not see what nearly happened to Pansy?” she snapped.

“Get your hands off me!” snarled Draco. He clasped a hand over his shoulder, beads of blood staining his fingers. “It tried to kill me!”

Hagrid sprinted over, alerted by the commotion, and tried to calm the creature. Draco followed Pansy’s lead and ran back to the castle, absolutely fuming. With the target of its rage gone, the Hippogriff settled with an angered snort. Charlie climbed to her feet and hurried to Ron’s side. The sleeve of his robes was torn and blood soaked the ragged pieces.

“Ron!” Hermione cried, rushing over with Harry right behind her.

“What did you do that for?” cried Harry.

"I don't know," Ron wheezed. “Instincts, I guess?”

"It was very brave of you,” said Hermione strongly, clutching his good hand.

“Everyone out of the paddock!” roared Hagrid. “Wait ‘til I come back!”

Hagrid scooped Ron into his arms, terror on his features. He sprinted up to the castle with Charlie, Hermione and Harry following behind him.

“I was right,” panted Harry as he ran. “This _was_ an interesting class.”

...

Draco and Pansy were nowhere in sight when they reached the infirmary wing, which caused Charlie some suspicion. Draco hadn’t been severely injured, not to Ron’s extent, but he usually took every opportunity to milk for sympathy.

Hagrid was forced to leave Ron and return to his class, which he did after several tearful apologies. Pomfrey rolled up Ron’s sleeve and examined the injury. She gave Ron a potion to stop the bleeding and spread a salve on his arm to heal the gash.

“You’ll to have to stay here for a few hours,” informed Pomfrey. “Once the injury is fully healed over you can return to your dormitory.”

“All right. Thanks.”

“Well, I suppose it all turned out for the best,” mused Hermione as Pomfrey left Ron’s bedside. She and her friends settled around Ron’s cot.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Ron in annoyance.

“You and Charlie saved Malfoy and Parkinson from getting hurt. If that had happened, I’m sure Malfoy would have done whatever he could to get Hagrid in trouble.”

“Don’t get your hopes up just yet,” said Charlie with a frown. “I didn’t save him completely.”

“He got a scratch,” said Hermione with a roll of her eyes. “Not even a bad scratch.”

"It hurts like mad," Ron moaned. "I can't believe I did that.”

"It was a very chivalrous thing to do," assured Charlie. "I'm proud of you."

“She still wasn’t worth it,” muttered Harry in a low voice.

"Tell me, Weasley. What idiotic thing did you do this time?"

The sneering voice caused them all to snap their heads around. Snape stood in the entrance to the infirmary wing, glowering at them. “He saved Pansy from an agitated Hippogriff,” said Charlie calmly. “She and Draco insulted it. I tried to get Draco out of the way, but I wasn’t entirely quick enough. He got a bit of a scratch—nothing serious.”

Snape’s eyes darted around the room, but saw the rest of the beds empty. “Where is he?” he asked sharply.

Charlie shrunk back when his dark eyes trained on her. “He and Pansy went running up to the castle way before us. I guess he’s in the Slytherin common room by now.”

A Gryffindor putting themselves in danger for a Slytherin. Charlotte Potter coming to the rescue of Draco, who she must have known would never return the favour.

“I see.” Snape went over to Ron’s bedside and pulled a vial from his pocket. He uncorked it and bent over Ron’s injured arm. "This will sting a little, Weasley."

Ron braced himself and let out a hiss when the liquid dripped into his cuts. Hermione held onto his hand and squeezed it tightly to distract him from the pain. Soon the uncomfortable sensation went away and Ron let out a soft groan.

"Sir, what was that for?" asked Charlie curiously.

"A potion that cleans out wounds and prevents infection." He set the vial on the bedside table. "Try to be more careful next time, Mr. Weasley."

The use of the formal address caused Ron momentary shock, for Snape very rarely did so with Gryffindors. He swept out of the room and Ron said in disbelief, “What was that?”

“I think that was Snape being civil,” said Harry with wide eyes.

"Well, he can’t ignore the fact you got hurt trying to help one of his Slytherins," Hermione replied.

“Sure he can,” said Ron with a snort. “He’s ignored loads of good things other Houses have done.”

“I think, when it comes to Professor Snape, you have to prove yourself to him,” said Charlie thoughtfully.

“Do you think I proved myself to him?” joked Harry.

“You dropped your inkwell on his foot yesterday in the corridor,” said Hermione flatly.

“So that’s a no?”

...

A few hours later, just in time for supper, Pomfrey found that the skin on Ron’s gash was completely healed. With his stomach rumbling in hunger Ron ran to the Great Hall. He came to a sudden stop in the Entrance Hall when he noticed a chunk of rubies had been added to Gryffindor’s hourglass, placing them in the lead.

“Nice!” he said with a grin.

Word had spread of the disastrous first Care of Magical Creatures lesson and Ron was the recipient of many stares as he went down the aisle.

He joined his Housemates and started piling food onto his plate. Many Lions didn’t understand why Ron would have taken the hit meant for Pansy Parkinson, and Ron didn’t quite know himself, so he ignored their jeers.

No one seemed to know where the slew of new points had come from. After downing a portion of ham, beans and potatoes Ron wandered over to the Hufflepuff table and leaned over Harry.

“All right, then?” asked Harry through a mouthful of bread.

“Yeah. Do you know where the points came from? For Gryffindor?”

“Well, not for sure. Hermione has a guess, though.” When Ron stared at him quizzically, Harry whispered, “Snape.”

“No way,” said Ron immediately.

“Sure seems like it. I mean, the points for Ravenclaw and Gryffindor appeared after Snape dropped off your potion.”

“Ravenclaw got points too?”

“Yup. That’s why Hermione thinks it was him.”

Ron turned to look in the direction of the High Table. He caught Snape’s gaze, and the man gave a barely perceptible nod before returning his attention to Sprout. Ron was floored.

Professor Severus Snape, for the first time in his career, had given Gryffindor points.

…

After dinner, the four spent some time in the library reviewing their lessons and doing some homework. When curfew neared, they packed up their items and walked Harry to his common room. When they got to the Entrance Hall Charlie glanced out the high windows. Through the glass she could see a light glimmering off in the distance from Hagrid’s hunt.

“Hagrid didn’t show up for dinner,” she said worriedly. “I wonder if he’s okay.”

“Surely someone told him that Ron is fine,” said Hermione with a frown.

“Maybe we should go see him,” suggested Ron. “Cheer him up a bit.”

"But there's fifteen minutes until curfew," Charlie pointed out. "And I don't think I should be walking out past dark."

"We'll be quick," Ron promised.

Though Charlie felt it wasn’t the brightest idea, the urge to check on Hagrid was strong. She agreed and the four hurried into the inky black night. They crossed the field and when they reached the hut Hermione rapped on the door. They could hear Fang barking inside, but no one came to the door, and Hermione cautiously nudged it open.

Hagrid was slumped on his couch, drinking heavily from a tankard. Hermione set her hands on her hips and said sharply, “Hagrid!”

The sound of her voice caused Hagrid to peer at them. The moment he saw Ron he burst into tears and Ron winced. "Don't do that! Really, I'm fine!"

"Yeh might've bin killed!" Hagrid blubbered. "School gov'nors are holdin' an investigation. I'm gonna be sacked!"

"No you won't!" Ron said forcibly. "My parents know you, Hagrid. They know it was an accident.”

"Yer family is good people, but I reckon Lucius Malfoy will find a way teh make a mess of things." Hagrid sniffled. "He's still got a lot o’ pull within the Ministry an’ some o' the gov'nors."

“What’s Malfoy got to do with anything?” said Ron in outrage.

“Draco Malfoy told his father all about what happened,” said Hagrid miserably. “How he got hurt.”

“He got scratched,” said Harry with a scowl. “Ron’s the one that got hurt!”

Charlie knew Pansy and Draco would seize on the opportunity to land Hagrid into trouble. It still caused anger to burn in her veins, because it was their fault the whole debacle occurred, and they were purposefully doing what they could to ruin Hagrid’s livelihood out of pure spite.

Hagrid’s tankard exploded, wooden pieces and liquid scattering across the floor. Hagrid jumped to his feet with a yelp and Charlie flinched. "Even if Mr. Malfoy does convince them to take you to court, we'll back you up,” she reassured. “We know what happened. We’ll tell the truth.”

"Yeah!" Harry agreed.

Hagrid regarded them, at their earnest faces and encouraging smiles, and tears filled his eyes. He swept forwards and gathered them into a hug which took the wind from their lungs. “Thank yeh,” he said gratefully.

“’Course,” said Ron with a gasp.

Hagrid set them down and rubbed at his red-rimmed eyes. When his vision cleared and his emotions settled, and the buzz from the ale died down, he was able to properly process the darkness outside and the fact that the four thirteen-year-olds were in his home and not in the castle.

" _What are yeh doin’ here?_ "

"What do you mean?” squeaked Hermione.

" _Yeh heard Dumbledore! No wanderin' the grounds past curfew!_ "

"Curfew isn't for five more minutes!" Ron protested. “We’ll make it back in time.”

"Do yeh want teh get caught by Black?" Hagrid demanded, grabbing Charlie and Harry by their arms and shooting a warning glare at Ron and Hermione that told them it would be in their best interests if they followed him. "It's not safe teh be out here! Don' let me catch yeh again!"

The kids fell in a bewildered silence as Hagrid escorted them all the way back to the castle. The man didn't leave until he was sure they were all going to their respective dorms.

"Does he really think Sirius Black can get onto the grounds that easily?" Hermione asked. “The Dementors would certainly catch him.”

“He’s just being careful. He does have a point. I haven’t been all that lucky these past few years. Considering my track record, I wouldn't be surprised if he was waiting in the common room for me."

The quietness of the castle, the threat looming over Charlie’s head and the random, creaking noises of the old structure caused Charlie and Hermione’s nerves to skyrocket. It was the worst time for the Grim to re-enter Charlie’s mind and the death omen lingered in her thoughts all the way back to the common room. The lighting was dim when they stepped inside and Charlie shrieked instinctively when a figure suddenly moved towards them from the shadows.

She reeled backwards, her wand flinging upwards with Hermione copying her movements. Before they could even think of a spell to say their wands soared out of their hands and the lights flashed on to reveal a very displeased Flitwick.

Charlie gulped, heart pounding madly in her chest. "Good thing he used to be a duellist," she whispered to Hermione.

"Sorry," said Hermione, face flaming red.

"You startled us," added Charlie sheepishly.

Flitwick crossed his arms, a stern expression on his face. "Are you aware that it's after curfew?"

"It's only a minute after curfew," Charlie said. At his sharp glare she flinched. "But that of course isn't an excuse. I’m sorry."

"Where have you been?" the diminutive Charms professor demanded.

"We…we went to Hagrid's," admitted Hermione nervously.

"After dark?" said Flitwick in disbelief. "While there's a raging murderer on the loose?"

_Well. It sounds like an utterly terrible idea when he says it like that._

At the two nods, he pinched his nose and took a breath to calm himself. "Would I be right in presuming that Misters Lupin and Weasley went with you?"

"Yes, sir," said Charlie softly. "But they're in their dorms now."

"Ten points from the four of you. If I catch you wandering after dark again, the consequences will be severe. Get to bed."

"Yes, sir. Goodnight, sir," the two girls chorused before dashing to their dorm.

"Well," said Charlie as she dropped down onto her bed. "That was embarrassing."

...

When Charlie and Hermione told Harry the story the next day in Potions, he was greatly amused. "You attacked your Head of House?"

"Tried to,” corrected Charlie. “He got our wands before we could do anything.”

“It was an accident!" Hermione defended. "Besides, it was Charlie who got me paranoid.”

“What did he do?”

“Took away ten points from all of us.”

Harry’s eyebrows shot up. “ _All_ of us? You snitched on us?”

“Yes.”

“Gee, thanks. Oh well. Could have been worse.”

The dungeon door banged shut, signalling Snape’s arrival, and he swept towards the front of the room. He gave his wand a flick and the instructions for the potion they were meant to be brewing appeared on the board. Harry, Hermione and Charlie quickly got to work. Pansy and Draco chose to sit directly behind them, and in a voice loud enough for the three to hear, Pansy said, “I hope you’re not too attached to that oaf.”

“My father is going make sure he’s sacked,” sneered Draco. “That stupid beast of his nearly killed Pansy and I.”

“Hagrid wouldn’t have let it kill you,” returned Charlie, not looking up from the ingredients she was slicing. “You actually owe Ron a massive thank you, Pansy.”

“For what?” said Pansy snobbishly.

Hermione whirled around and said in a fierce whisper, “For making sure you didn’t get hurt! He didn’t _have_ to push you out of the way, but he did, and it’s more than you deserve! The reason the Hippogriff attacked was because you ignored Hagrid’s clear instructions and insulted it. Everything that happened is your fault, and if anyone should be under investigation, it should be you two for sabotaging an otherwise perfectly good class. So grow up and shut up.”

“You’re the one that needs to shut up, you worthless Mudblood!”

The swear echoed in the stone dungeon and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws gasped. Pansy scowled in irritation, not meaning to speak as loud as she did, but she didn’t particularly care about the negative attention until Snape stood up from his desk. She recoiled at the icy dark glare he aimed her way.

"What did you call Miss Granger, Miss Parkinson?" he asked in a dangerous whisper.

Hermione and Harry exchanged startled glances. Pansy stared at Snape with wide eyes and stammered, "I-I don't know what you—"

"Don't _lie_ to me!" Severus growled. “Repeat what you said.”

Pansy’s shoulders hunched. "I called her a Mudblood, sir."

“As I thought,” said Snape frostily. “Whatever grievances you have with Miss Granger ought to be settled with intellect, not childish vulgarity. If you can’t form a proper rebuttal, then clearly you have nothing to say in which to defend yourself. Twenty points from Slytherin for this display, Miss Parkinson, and detention with Mr. Filch. Perhaps this will cause to think twice before you run your tongue.”

A stunned silence filled the dungeon and Pansy’s ears burned red with humiliation. Draco looked rather offended, darting his gaze between his best friend and his Head of House. Snape began to prowl down the aisles, his expression hard, and everyone quickly returned their attention to their brewing.

“Whoa,” breathed Harry. “Ron is never going to believe this.”

When the bell rang at the end of class, Pansy speed-walked to the front of the room with her head ducked down. She dropped her flask with her completed potion on Snape’s desk without making eye contact and rushed out. Draco sent a look of utmost hatred at the trio as he shoved by them.

“Don’t know what he’s mad about,” muttered Harry. “We’re not the ones who gave him detention.”

“I don’t think a day passes where he isn’t mad at us,” said Charlie with a snort.

They waited in line and when they reached Snape’s desk, Hermione set her flask down and said softly, “Thank you.”

“If there is one thing I despise above everything else, Miss Granger, it’s that disgusting word,” replied Snape with an unreadable expression.

Hermione nodded in understanding. Charlie and Harry placed their own assignments near Hermione’s, echoing her words of gratitude. The trio walked out of class together, as they so often did, but this time with Snape’s watchful gaze trained on them.

“What a class,” said Harry. “I’ll have the entire History of Magic period to process it.”

“You’d do well to pay attention,” said Hermione crossly. “You can’t keep copying our essays.”

“I’m offended. I don’t copy. I use it as groundwork.”

“Have fun,” said Charlie with a laugh.

“I won’t,” returned Harry as he departed.

Charlie jogged down a staircase and encountered Ron at the bottom. “Hey,” he greeted.

“Hi!”

“Where’s Hermione?”

Charlie blinked in confusion. “She's right beside—" She turned around, but the spot Hermione had occupied was now empty. Charlie scratched her head and said in bewilderment, “She was right here a second ago.”

“Good,” said Ron in relief. “I thought I saw her, but I blinked and then she was gone. Thought I was going mad.”

“Wait for me!”

Hermione came running down the stairs towards them and Charlie gave her head a hard shake.   
Wait a minute! You were just—”

“I forgot something,” she said with a slight wheeze. “Come on, we better get to Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

She ran ahead of them and Charlie set her hand on her hip. "Okay, something weird is going on."

"You think?" Ron muttered.

They hurried after the bushy-haired girl and stepped into their classroom. Remus smiled at them when they entered and they returned his greeting. They grabbed a table near the front of the room, and in the spare minutes before class was to start, Hermione told Ron what happened in Potions class.

“He’s been acting odd lately,” said Ron with a raised brow.

Charlie grinned. “You mean decent?”

“Exactly! It’s not normal.” His expression soured. “Stupid Parkinson. Probably should have let the Hippogriff get her. Might have taught her something.”

“It definitely wouldn’t have,” said Charlie passionately. “It just would have made their case against Hagrid that much easier.”

“I can’t get over how stupid that is!” groused Ron. “I’m the one that got hurt. I’m the one who should have a case!”

“Technically Malfoy got hurt as well,” spoke Hermione.

“He did _not_.”

“Can we not go over this again?” asked Charlie in exasperation. “We just have to ignore them.”

“Right. I’ll do that next time Parkinson is in danger,” said Ron darkly.

_“Ron.”_

The rest of their peers filed into the room and when class officially started, Remus immediately told them to get up and follow him. With curious mumbles they all complied, walking down the corridors. “This is mysterious,” mused Charlie.

“I like it,” said Ron with a grin. “The less time spent in the classroom the better.”

“But it’s the first lesson,” said Hermione in disappointment.

“Really?” said Ron flatly.

They encountered Peeves in their stroll, who was holding an armful of chalk. The second he spotted them he started to fire and the third-years let out yelps of pain as they were struck. As they always did when it came to the poltergeist and his jokes, they covered their heads and sprinted past him.

Neville yipped as a piece chalk struck his forehead, leaving a red mark. “Peeves!” snapped Charlie. “Come on, that’s enough. You’re going to hurt somebody.”

“It’s no fun when no one gets hurt!” cackled Peeves.

But he zoomed down the corridor, leaving the third-years alone. Remus turned an admiring glance at Charlie. “Impressive.”

“She’s probably the only student he likes,” boasted Ron.

“I suspect that comes in handy,” said Remus with a smile. “Come on, everyone. We’re almost there.”

Remus led them to an empty staff room and ushered them inside. The first thing Charlie noticed when she entered was that the wardrobe in the corner of the room was shaking. “What is that?” asked Parvati in horror.

“No need to worry,” soothed Remus. “It’s only a Boggart.”

"A Boggart?" Dean repeated in confusion.

"Yes. Can anyone tell me what a Boggart is?"

Hermione raised her hand and he nodded at her. "Boggarts are shape-shifters that take the form of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Excellent job," Remus praised. "Boggarts like tight, dark spaces. I got word there was one infesting the castle and thought it would be a good opportunity for a hands-on lesson. Who can tell me the advantage we have over the Boggart?”

Hermione and Charlie both put up their hands and Remus gestured towards Charlie. “There’s a lot of us here. The Boggart is going to have to determine what our fears are, and we’ll have some time while it decides what form to take.”

"Very good! Usually, wizards and witches who encounter Boggarts don’t have this luxury. They have to handle them one on one. To get rid of a Boggart, we use the Boggart-Banishing Spell. Boggarts don’t die, so this spell will merely banish them. The spell will force it to take the shape of something you would find amusing. Laughter is what defeats it, and that’s where it can become difficult. Laughter isn’t easy in the face of fear. I want everyone to repeat after me; _Riddikulus_!"

" _Riddikulus!"_

Remus listened intently and made them repeat it a few more times. When he was satisfied they had the pronunciation correct he pointed to Neville. “What’s your name?”

“Neville Longbottom,” he answered nervously.

"Neville, come up here please."

Pale and shaking, Neville seemed rooted to the spot. Charlie reached back and gave his hand a squeeze. He met her green eyes, which were full of encouragement, and he took a deep breath before walking up to the wardrobe.

"Neville, what do you fear most of all?"

"Professor Snape," he answered at once.

Remus smiled softly as the class started to giggle. "Understandable. What would make you find Snape not so frightening?"

"Well," Neville began slowly. "I suppose I wouldn’t find him as frightening if he wore the same clothes as my grandmother.”

“That’s what you’ll do, then. Just picture Snape wearing your grandmother's clothes and say the incantation. Here we go!"

“This is going to be good,” said Ron eagerly.

Remus swung open the wooden door and Snape burst out, black eyes glinting with malice. Neville squeaked in terror and raised his wand, stuttering, " _R-Riddikulus!"_

There was a sharp cracking sound and Boggart Snape was now in an ugly green dress with a vulture hat. Laughter rang throughout the room and the Boggart looked around in confusion. Beaming, Remus started to call other students forwards to confront the Boggart.

Continuous cracks filled the air as the Boggart rapidly changed between its fearful form and its amusing form. Ron’s mirth was lost as he was next, and he very nearly buckled when a large spider appeared in front of him. But he succeeded in changing the Boggart and Charlie gave him a thumbs-up.

As her peers took their turns, Charlie realized after Hermione and Ron had gone that Remus was pointedly avoiding calling her name. She was a bit disappointed, but she supposed she understood. He was probably worried that her Boggart would be the form of Voldemort. She tried to think of what shape the Boggart would take if she confronted it and furrowed her brow when she discovered that it was the thought of the Dementors that triggered fear.

_I find the Dementors more terrifying than the Dark Lord. That is so not normal._

Charlie’s eyes landed back on the Boggart just as it turned towards her. She could feel it zeroing in on her and it started to change. Remus quickly stepped in front of her and the shape abruptly turned into a silver sphere. Remus flicked his wand and, finally, the creature disappeared.

“That was wonderful,” declared Remus. “Five points for all of you.”

“But I didn’t have a turn with the Boggart,” said Charlie with a frown.

“You answered my question correctly at the beginning of class. That’s certainly worthy of points.”

Remus assigned them their homework before dismissing them. "That was interesting," Ron mused as they walked out of the staff room.

"I wonder why Professor Lupin's fear was the moon,” Charlie wondered. "It doesn't really make sense."

"How'd you know that thing was a moon?" Ron asked incredulously.

“It was silver and round.”

"Really, Ron, what else would it be?" Hermione scoffed.

Ron threw up his hands. "Ravenclaws!"


	5. A Halloween Infiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scarlet Ezra is my OC.

Ever since Charlie’s first Divination class Trelawney found at least one opportunity per lesson to predict the circumstance in which Charlie would die. Her peers listened to her morbid ramblings with rapt attention, Harry and Ron were more amused than disturbed and Hermione was vexed. Charlie tried not to put much stock in what Trelawney was saying, but It would be easier to do so if she didn’t have a mass murderer after her.

“How do you think I’m going to die today?” asked Charlie as she picked at her eggs during breakfast.

Hermione scowled. “She’s useless,” she said bitterly. “I’m learning absolutely nothing. I think I’m going to drop it. You ought to do the same.”

"I don’t know. I’m kind of enjoying myself. It’s interesting material, even if it doesn’t have any practical use.”

"What’s the point in learning if you can’t use the material practically?”

Charlie grinned. “I don’t know. Having the ability to read tea leaves could make for a neat trick.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Ha ha.”

She returned to her book and Charlie finished her breakfast. She glanced over at the Hufflepuff table, where Harry was reading a Quidditch magazine as he idly picked from his plate of fruit. She stood up and went over to him, leaning over his shoulder.

“That Firebolt is everywhere,” she said longingly, staring at the colourful advertisement.

“It’s making me jealous,” agreed Harry.

“Can I sit?”

“Sure.”

“She can’t sit here,” piped up an upper-year Hufflepuff, looking rather scandalized.

“Why not?” countered Harry.

“It’s fine,” spoke another older Hufflepuff, flashing Charlie a smile. “It’s an unspoken rule, so she can sit here until a teacher speaks up.”

“Thanks, Cedric,” said Harry with a smile.

He scooted over and Charlie squeezed in beside him, ignoring the strange looks some of Harry’s Housemates sent her way. Charlie exchanged a quick handshake with Cedric, who properly introduced himself as Cedric Diggory.

“Do I blend in?” asked Charlie with a straight face.

“Almost. The blue robes are a dead giveaway.”

"Miss Potter."

The familiar voice of her Head of House floated down to her. Charlie flinched. “Dang. That was quick.”

“The rules are about to be spoken,” snickered Harry, and Cedric laughed.

Charlie turned her head and offered a bright, innocent smile as Flitwick stared pointedly at her. “One second!” she pleaded. “I’ll just be one second.”

“What about the delicate balance of Hogwarts?” cried Fred dramatically from the Gryffindor table. “It must be maintained!”

Charlie glared at him as most of the Great Hall burst into laughter. Flitwick shook his head, unable to keep the amusement from his features. He glanced at Dumbledore, who gave a smiling nod, and waved his hand permissively. Charlie beamed and turned back around.

“Did you get a chance to face the Boggart for your Defense Against the Dark Arts class?”

“Oh, yeah. Turns out there was another one in Filch’s storage closet.”

“What did you see?” asked Charlie curiously.

“A werewolf.”

“Interesting. That wasn’t what I expected.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “What exactly were you expecting me to be afraid of?”

That caused Charlie some pause. “Huh. Nothing specific, really. It’s just if I had to guess it wouldn’t have been a werewolf.”

"What did you see?"

She rested her chin against the palm of her hand, her brow furrowing slightly. "Didn't get a chance to face it, unfortunately. I think your uncle thought my Boggart might have been…uh…” Due to the amount of Hufflepuffs within hearing distance, she made the rare substitute of his name. "…You-Know-Who."

"Would it have been?" asked Harry with interest.

"I don't think so," said Charlie honestly. "I think it might have been a Dementor. Those things creep me out."

"More than You-Know-Who does?"

"Never said I was normal. Hermione, Ron and I have a question for you.”

"Shoot," said Harry, lifting his goblet of pumpkin juice to his lips.

"Do you know why your uncle's greatest fear is the full moon?"

The pumpkin juice spewed from his mouth and splattered all over the table and down the front of his robes. He broke into a coughing fit and Charlie frantically smacked his back to help him breathe. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," rasped Harry. "Just fine. I gotta go change."

He stood up and took off out of the Great Hall. The Hufflepuffs were now staring at her and Charlie could only imagine the looks her professors were sending her. She got to her feet and quickly returned to the Ravenclaw table; head ducked down until she reclaimed her seat next to Hermione.

“What was that all about?” asked Hermione.

"I honestly have no idea.”

A grip fell on her shoulder and she jumped, expecting Flitwick and was greatly relieved to discover Scarlet standing over her. “If you want to convince Flitwick to let you sit with your Hufflepuff friend, you probably shouldn’t have tried to kill him.”

“I didn’t do anything,” protested Charlie.

"Ah, I’m just teasing. I wanted to let you know that our first practice will be tomorrow after dinner.”

“Seriously?” asked Charlie in surprise. Usually Gryffindor or Slytherin got the first booking of the year.

Her Quidditch captain grinned. "Yup! Wood was supposed to have it, but I managed to convince him otherwise."

"How'd you do that?"

"Don't you know? Wood and I started dating over the summer holidays. He lives a town away from me and we actually really bonded.” Scarlet’s expression turned soft as she glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor table. “He’s really sweet. Mind you, he’s super confident in his team this year. Thinks he developed the perfect strategy. Probably why he gave up the slot and let me take it.” A smirk curled across her lips. “He’s going to be in for a shock when we wipe the floor with him.”

“I’m happy for you,” said Charlie sincerely.

“Thanks!” she chirped.

Scarlet wiggled her fingers as she departed the Great Hall. Hermione closed her book and said, “Shall we get ready for class?”

“Sure. Can’t wait for Trelawney to tell me I’m going to get strangled by Devil’s Snare.”

The two Ravenclaws stood up and left. Ron shoved one last piece of toast into his mouth before sprinting after them. Flitwick watched them go and shook his head in exasperation. “Really. I don’t know why she simply couldn’t wait to speak with Mr. Lupin afterwards.”

“For the most powerful of friendships, even a second apart is far too long,” said Dumbledore.

“That’s certainly true. Harry moped for days over the summer,” said Remus fondly. “He was eager to see them again.”

“Attached at the hip, they are,” said Sprout with a nod. “I don’t suppose your charge told you about his little nighttime trip?”

Remus’ expression sharpened. “He failed to mention it.”

“Well, to be fair, they _did_ make it back to the castle by curfew. They just weren’t in their beds,” said Sprout dryly. “Wouldn’t have known if Filius hadn’t caught Miss Potter and Miss Granger. They were so spooked that they tried to hex him when he moved.”

"Not spooked enough,” said Flitwick with a frown. “I don't know what got into their heads, walking around outside so close to curfew. Especially with Black on the loose.”

"I daresay Mr. Weasley has been a bad influence on them," Severus drawled.

McGonagall was about to defend her Lion when she caught his slip of tongue. A baffled look crossed her face. " _Mr._ Weasley, you say?”

"You’re hearing things,” said Snape shortly.

"You did!" Sprout exclaimed gleefully. "What in Merlin’s name has gotten into you, Severus?”

“Absolutely nothing,” snapped Snape.

“We’re several days into the semester and you haven’t complained about the Golden Quartet once!”

"The Golden Quartet?" repeated Remus.

"We’ve overheard the students calling them such,” said McGonagall. “They’re always together, so someone came up with a name to refer to all of them at once.”

"Perhaps they will be a bit more loyal to each other than your 'friends', Lupin," Snape said with a sneer.

Remus' eyes flashed with anger and deep hurt. Dumbledore frowned in disapproval and said sternly, “I trust Remus completely, Severus. What happened to his friendships is a tragedy and should not be spoken about lightly.”

“Lupin trusted Black, once,” said Snape coldly. “Look how that turned out. We very well may be in for a repeat performance.”

Remus stood up, his entire posture stiff, and left the Great Hall without another word. Snape could feel the ire of his colleagues, and the disappointment of Dumbledore, but he did not care. He was against this from the very beginning, but Dumbledore refused to listen to him. Lupin was not in leagues with Sirius Black, he insisted.

Dumbledore had always been soft on James Potter and his blasted gang. They were not punished for their pranks as harshly as they should have been. They were given free reign to torment who they wanted, and it nearly cost Snape his life.

He would never forget. He would never forgive. Lupin was just as rotten as Sirius Black. It was only a matter of time before everyone saw him for the danger he was.

...

“Hagrid really doesn’t know what a middle ground is, does he?” asked Harry as he and his friends trekked across the grounds to the castle. They had just finished their second Care of Magical Creatures lesson. The topic—Flobberworms. Tiny and very boring.

"He's just playing it safe,” said Charlie. “Can you blame him?”

"My parents sent him a letter, assuring him that they didn’t blame him at all. They gave him biscuits!” Ron flung his arms in the air in exasperation. "Honestly, what's he worried about?"

"The Malfoys, who stick their grubby hands in everyone’s business,” said Harry bitterly. “Who love ruining lives. Who are in the process of making sure Hagrid is put under investigation and brought to trial. That’s something to be worried about.”

Charlie came to a sudden halt, her brow furrowing in concern. “Wait. Maybe that’s the reason he’s playing it safe. Because he’s already gotten some bad news.”

She abruptly turned on her heel and nearly ran straight into Pansy. She reeled back; eyes wide as she quickly put some distance between the two of them. “Geez!”

“Watch where you’re going!” snapped Pansy.

It suddenly occurred to Charlie that the two Slytherins had been snickering throughout the class far more than they usually did. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to tell me the status of the investigation your father is trying to push through?” she asked warily.

Draco’s grin was diabolical. “Gladly. It’s been approved. The miserable oaf is going to be found out for what he is—an incompetent menace.”

Ron turned beet red but Charlie grabbed his arm. “Come on,” she said forcefully. “We’re going back to see Hagrid.”

She dragged him around the two Slytherins with Hermione and Harry hurrying after them. They ran back to Hagrid’s hut and Charlie burst through the door without knocking. Hagrid was sitting at his table, head in his hands, and there was a piece of parchment on the floor. He looked up when he heard the door slamming shut.

“What’re yeh lot doin’ here?” he asked, wiping away his tears.

“We just discovered,” said Charlie solemnly. “I’m sorry, Hagrid. But don’t worry. It really wasn’t your fault.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Harry.

“I was ashamed,” said Hagrid miserably. “My firs’ lesson an’ I mucked it up.”

“You didn’t,” said Hermione strongly. “Malfoy and Parkinson are perfectly capable of hearing and they ignored your instructions.”

“I might have teh go teh trial,” said Hagrid fearfully. “If I lose, I’ll lose Buckbeak.”

“We’ll help you, Hagrid,” said Ron earnestly. “If the investigators are prats, and it goes to trial, we’ll help you prepare!”

“Absolutely!” said Charlie with a nod.

“Thank yeh,” said Hagrid gratefully, wiping at his eyes. “Yer right. No use worryin’ now.”

The quartet were happy to leave him in better spirits. “There’s a bright side,” said Charlie positively. “If it does go to trial, Ron will have to be called as a witness. He’s the one that got the brunt of the attack.”

“And I’ll do what the Slytherins won’t,” said Ron hotly. “I’ll tell the truth.”

"If we’re lucky, we won’t have to worry about that,” said Harry.

They entered the castle and passed by the Great Hall. Ron spotted a new notice on the board across from the doors and wandered over. “Hey, they’ve got the Hogsmeade dates up!” he exclaimed excitedly. “The first one is scheduled on Halloween!”

“Awesome!” cheered Harry, high-fiving him. His eyes landed on Charlie’s disappointed expression and he said quickly, “Not awesome that you can’t go, Charlie. Maybe you could ask Flitwick. Get special permission?”

“The Minister of Magic wouldn’t give me special permission,” said Charlie with a humourless smile.

“It’s worth a shot,” encouraged Ron. “I bet Flitwick doesn’t know that.”

“I suppose.”

"Brilliant! And if he says no, then you can just use your Cloak and sneak out," Ron said cheerfully.

"She can’t!” hissed Hermione. “You heard what Professor Dumbledore said!”

"We've gotten into worse scrapes, haven't we?" Ron asked. “I’m sure there’s a way Charlie can sneak out without being detected by the Dementors. There’s loads of secret passages in this place.”

“That’s a rubbish idea!” said Hermione crossly.

“It wouldn’t work, anyway. Filch has been boarding the secret passages shut,” added Harry.

“We could open them again, just for a short while,” suggested Ron.

“Ronald!”

“Relax,” soothed Charlie. “I won’t do it.”

“Why not— _oi_!”

A heavy weight slammed into the small of his back, knocking him to the ground. Scabbers wiggled his way out of Ron’s pocket and sprinted across the floor with Crookshanks in hot pursuit.

" _Stop that cat!"_ hollered Ron, scrambling to his feet.

“Don’t you hurt him!” cried Hermione as the redhead ran off.

“So much for Crookshanks not leaving Ravenclaw Tower,” muttered Charlie.

“Come on. We better follow them before they kill each other,” said Harry frantically.

They must have made quite the sight. Scabbers and Crookshanks darted around legs and tread on feet. The Golden Quartet were on their tails, with Ron in the lead and Harry bringing up the rear. Students scattered as they ploughed down the corridors. Fred and George had to dive out of the way to avoid colliding into the group.

"Oi," shouted Fred as they shot passed him. "What are you lot doing?"

"Rescuing my rat!" snapped Ron over his shoulder.

It took five minutes of chasing before Ron overtook Crookshanks. He knelt and scooped Scabbers into his hands. He backed away from Crookshanks, who spat furiously in the rat’s direction. Hermione reached them next and took her cat into her arms.

“Your cat is a monster!” he snarled.

“No, he’s not!” said Hermione furiously. “Cats chase mice, Ronald. It’s what they do.”

“But he’s only chasing mine!”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“The next time he comes after Scabbers, I’ll hex him into next week.” Ron looked at Crookshanks with loathing. “So you better find a way to control him.”

“You don’t have to worry about us, you prat!” said Hermione shrilly. “We won’t be anywhere near you!”

They stormed off in opposite directions, clutching their pets to their chests. Charlie sighed in dismay. "Man. How long do you think this will last?"

“Hard to tell,” replied Harry. “They’re both stubborn. I give it a week, give or take.”

"Ron has a point. There’s something off with Crookshanks,” mused Charlie. “It really does seem like he’s going after Scabbers specifically.”

"If Crookshanks doesn’t get to Scabbers, the stress will. Do you see how sickly he looks? He might keel over any second, and I definitely don't want to be around Ron when that happens."

...

Hermione and Ron didn't speak to each other for the next few days. Harry and Charlie found themselves being the buffers. They sat in between Ron and Hermione, walked between them, and always made sure there was a degree of distance to try to relieve some of the tension that crackled around them.

When Charms ended, Hermione swept out of the classroom. Charlie stared after her in bewilderment. Sometimes her friend would just sprint off without a word, as if she were in some mad rush, even though they had plenty of time before next class.

“You should ask him.”

“What?” she asked, turning her attention to the redhead.

“Ask him if you can go to Hogsmeade,” said Ron. “It can’t hurt!”

“All right,” she agreed. She approached Flitwick’s desk and said, “Professor?”

"Yes, Miss Potter?"

“There’s a Hogsmeade visit tomorrow, and my aunt and uncle didn't sign the form for, uh, personal reasons. Would it be possible for you to give me permission to go?"

Flitwick shook his head sympathetically. "I'm sorry Miss Potter, but I'm afraid not. The permission slip must be signed by your guardians.” When disappointment flickered across her face and Ron’s shoulders slumped, Flitwick gentled his voice and said, “There’s always next year.”

“Right.” Charlie managed a smile. She had been unable to stop the hope from rising in her chest, only for it be crushed. “Thanks, Professor.”

She and Ron stepped into the corridor and he said, "Well, what about the Invisibility Cloak?"

"Probably not the best idea,” said Charlie lightly. “I’d rather not risk having a Dementor blast me.”

“That’s not what they do,” said Ron discontentedly.

...

On Halloween afternoon, Charlie walked with her friends to the Entrance Hall, where students were swarming out the doors after being checked off a large list by Filch. "We'll bring you back loads of stuff," Ron promised.

"Is there anything specific you want?" Hermione asked.

It seemed that the anger had fizzled from both of them, and they had greeted each other amicably during breakfast. Harry was relieved, because he didn’t really feel like alternating his attention between the both of them because they refused to talk.

“Sweets, if you please." Charlie removed the coins she had brought with her from her pocket and handed them to Ron. “You can use whatever is left over. You deserve it, for saving Pansy.”

The ginger smiled gratefully at her. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” asked Harry, guilt starting to worm in his stomach for leaving her alone.

Charlie waved off their concerned looks. “I’m going to be fine. Go have fun! I’m excited for the sweets you’re going to bring back for me.”

“As much as we can carry,” promised Ron.

She watched them depart the castle and let her features fall when they were out of sight. “Great. Now what am I going to do?”

There was some reading she could do, though the thought of doing homework by herself in the common room depressed her. Charlie sighed and started to wander through the corridors, debating between the library and Ravenclaw Tower. She knew going outside was probably not an option, at least not by herself.

_Don’t be sad, Potter. Being alone temporarily is better than being dead. When Black is caught, everything will go back to normal. Maybe. I’ve got a few months to think of a convincing enough argument to get Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon to sign my permission slip._

The piece of parchment was still in her trunk. She wasn’t losing hope. She’d strike a deal with her aunt and uncle in the summer. There was no way they’d be letting Aunt Marge come to visit while she was there, so it would be a bit easier to find an opportunity.

"What's the little birdie doing here all alone-y?"

Peeves appeared directly in front of her and Charlie screeched to a halt. "Well, my friends went off to Hogsmeade and my guardians didn't sign my permission form,” she explained. “I’m just looking for something to pass the time until they come back.”

"You can help Peevsie bother old Filchy!" Peeves suggested, cackling madly.

Charlie grinned. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll leave that up to you. Don't bother Filch too much. He's got a lot to deal with around here."

“No such thing as bothering Filchy too much,” countered Peeves.

He sped off to conduct his chaos and Charlie shook her head. “Poor Filch.”

“Charlotte.”

Charlie turned to see Remus at the end of the corridor and she walked over to him. “Hi, Professor.”

“You must tell me your secret.”

“My secret?”

“To getting Peeves to act civilly towards you.”

"Oh. I’m not sure, to be honest.”

Remus glanced over Charlie’s shoulder, as if expecting the other three-fourths of the Golden Quartet to appear. "Where’s my ward and the other two?"

"At Hogsmeade, without me. But that’s okay. I'll forgive them as long as they bring me lots of sweets."

"If you’re not busy, would you like to come with me? I’ve just received the topic for one of our lessons.”

Curiosity spiked through Charlie and she nodded. “I’d love to.”

He led her to his office and when Charlie went over the threshold, she immediately noticed the large glass tank that contained a green creature with small horns. She approached it with interest, lightly setting her fingers against the aquarium.

"It’s a Grindylow, right?”

"That’s right,” said Remus in surprise. “How did you know?”

“I read ahead in the textbook. I won't have to touch it, will I?"

He laughed. "I would advise against it. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thanks. I think I’ve had enough of tea leaves.”

Remus prepared the kettle and looked at her in sympathy. "Ah, yes. Professor McGonagall told me all about your death sentence. Are you worried?"

"Not really.”

She kept saying that, but the Grim and Trelawney’s reading of her tea leaves still lingered in her mind, so perhaps she was lying to him and herself.

Remus finished making a cup of tea and motioned for Charlie to take a seat across from his desk. He settled across from her and said, “Harry mentioned to me that you were disappointed I didn’t let you tackle the Boggart.”

“A bit,” admitted Charlie. “But I understand. You didn’t want to risk Voldemort appearing in front of a crowd of thirteen-year-olds.”

Remus picked up on her tone of voice, on how she didn’t confirm that her Boggart would have formed into the Dark Lord. “He’s not what you fear most?”

Charlie flushed. “No. I know it might sound stupid, but I’m terrified of Dementors. The thought of them makes me feel cold and sick.”

"It’s not stupid at all,” said Remus, awe in his expression. “That means what you fear most is fear itself. You’re a bright, impressive witch, Charlotte.”

“Charlie,” she spoke with a hopeful smile. “You can call me Charlie outside of class, if you want.”

Regarding her fondly, Remus said, “Only if you call me Remus.”

Charlie beamed. “Deal!”

There was one short knock on the office door. “Come in,” called Remus.

Snape entered; his expression unreadable. In his hands was a goblet, the contents of which was smoking. “It’s finished,” he said curtly, setting it on Remus’ desk.

"Thank you, Severus.”

Charlie tilted her head to the side, peering at the potion curiously. “What is it?”

Remus stiffened, and Snape revelled in his discomfort. “Just something I asked Professor Snape to brew,” he replied.

His lack of an answer caused the girl to eye him in confusion, but she didn’t press. “Lupin, I have a cauldron-full if you need more,” said Snape. “I advise you to drink it directly."

Snape left and Remus downed the contents. His face twisted in disgust. “Not the most appetizing,” he said with a slight shudder. Ignoring the questions flashing in her bright green eyes, Remus joked, “Are you sure you don’t want to pet the Grindylow?”

“Absolutely.”

...

"You guys rock."

Charlie grinned as Hermione dumped brightly coloured sweets and various Zonko products onto her midnight-blue bedspread. Snowy pawed at the candies and mewed hopefully. Charlie laughed, giving her a few quick pets before packing away her treats and following Hermione out of the common room, where Harry and Ron were waiting for them outside of Ravenclaw Tower.

"Were you bored?" Harry asked worriedly.

"No, not at all. I spent the day with your uncle. He showed me a Grindylow and we chatted a bit.”

Horror crossed Harry’s face. “He didn’t tell you stories, did he?”

“I particularly like the one where you stole his broomstick and got stuck in a tree,” said Charlie mischievously.

“No way!” cackled Ron. “I might stay behind next time!”

“No you’re not!” snapped Harry, his face flaming red. “He didn’t tell every embarrassing story of my life, did he?”

“No,” assured Charlie. “There wasn’t enough time.” Her brow creased and she added, “Professor Snape brought him a potion, but he wouldn’t tell me what it was. Is he okay?”

"Yes!” Harry said loudly. His friends stared at him oddly and he coughed. “He's fine. He gets sick pretty often, so he’s always having to take potions.”

"He actually drank what Snape gave him?" Ron asked in disbelief. "Doesn't he know that Snape has wanted that job for years?"

"Now, Ron. Professor Snape would not try to poison him in front of Charlie, and he's not as bad as we used to think. He hasn’t been nearly as spiteful towards us as he was before,” said Hermione. "He seems to be willing to start over and we should as well."

It was still difficult for Ron to think of Snape as anything but the great dungeon bat who terrorized every student except for his Slytherins. But Hermione did have a point, as hard as it was to admit it, and he shrugged. “I guess.”

They went to the Great Hall together, and it was not long before the Halloween feast got into full swing. Charlie happily loaded her plate with pumpkin pie and roast beef sandwiches. Hermione told her every detail of their trip in Hogsmeade and Charlie could not help but feel a bit jealous that she had missed it. But she enjoyed her time with Remus greatly, and hoped she would be able to continue their visits for the rest of the Hogsmeade trips.

The night passed by in a blur and before Charlie knew it Dumbledore was shooing them off to bed. She and Hermione joined Ron and Harry, and the four shuffled out of the Great Hall with the rest of the students.

“Better than a Deathday Party, right?” asked Harry lowly, not wanting to be overheard by the ghosts floating overhead.

Ron elbowed him. “Shut up.”

As the rest of the Hufflepuffs went in the direction of the kitchens, where the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room and dorms were located, Harry stayed with his friends. "Uh, you're going the wrong way," said Charlie in amusement.

"I'll backtrack," he said, hands shoved in his robe pockets. "Besides, Ron always walks you guys to Ravenclaw Tower. I need to step up."

"I don't always walk them there. I mostly just walk them to our split-off point," corrected Ron.

Hermione grinned. "He's too lazy to walk us the entire way. But we take what we can get."

“Well this is my chance to shine,” said Harry cheekily. “I’ll walk you the whole way.”

“Honestly,” said Ron with a huff, though he couldn’t stop himself from smiling as his friends laughed.

When they reached the part of the castle where Ron and the Ravenclaws would go their separate ways, they could hear shouts coming from the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

"That doesn't sound good," said Harry nervously.

"Come on." Ron broke into a jog and his friends followed after him. When they reached the seventh floor it was to see a massive traffic jam of Gryffindors in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Geez!" exclaimed the redhead. He squinted up ahead and spotted his sister with a group of her friends. “There’s Ginny.”

They wrestled their way through the panicked students and Ron tapped Ginny on the shoulder. “What’s going on?” he demanded.

Ginny shrugged. “I don’t know.”

_"Someone get Headmaster Dumbledore, quickly!"_

Percy’s sharp, urgent shout spurred the four even further forwards. When they broke through to the front, they were greeted with the sight of the portrait slashed to pieces and the Fat Lady nowhere to be found. "Blimey," Ron whispered.

"You don't think..." Hermione began, eyeing Charlie worriedly.

"I hope not," whispered Harry.

"Who else would have a reason to do this?” asked Charlie warily. “But I don’t understand. Why would Sirius Black try to break into Gryffindor Tower?”

"He probably thought that's where you would be Sorted," Ron suggested, slightly pale. "I mean, everyone thought you'd be a Lion when you came to Hogwarts. How would Sirius Black know otherwise that you're an Eagle?"

It was then Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick arrived. The students quickly parted to let them through and their frantic cries were halted by Dumbledore raising his hand. He studied the damage with serious eyes. "Professor McGonagall, I want you to find Mr. Filch and search for the Fat Lady. I want to know exactly what happened here."

McGonagall hurried off and Dumbledore scanned the crowd. His keen gaze zeroed in on Hermione, Charlie and Harry slowly inching their way from the crowd and a burst of panic went through him. If Sirius Black was still in the castle, then it would not be wise for three third-years to wander the corridors alone—especially if one of them was Charlotte Potter.

"Miss Potter, Miss Granger and Mr. Lupin, stay where you are," he said sternly. They immediately froze in place with guilty eyes. Flitwick’s expression sharpened when he found his two Ravenclaws where they weren't supposed to be.

"I'll deal with you two later," he promised before turning to Dumbledore. "What do you think happened?”

Dumbledore turned towards the Charms professor after making sure no other students were trying to sneak away. His brain worked overtime, trying to figure out why Black had attempted to enter Gryffindor Tower instead of Ravenclaw Tower. "I do not know. Perhaps Black assumed that Charlotte was Sorted here, and acted accordingly. There is no written record of Charlotte being Sorted into Ravenclaw, and word would not have reached him in prison. At this point, enough time has passed that people have stopped talking about it. I’m sure he believed Charlotte would be Sorted in the same House as her parents and his former companions."

"The Fat Lady is in a right mess," came the familiar cackle of Peeves. The poltergeist was watching the chaos with a wide smile, floating above the crowd.

"Did you see what occurred here?" Dumbledore asked sharply.

Peeves nodded his head cheerfully. His humour faded when he noticed Charlie among the crowd, her face pale with worry. "Yes, Professor Head. The Fat Lady wouldn't let him in without a password and he attacked her. She ran off in tears and fled through some paintings a few corridors over. Sirius Black has one nasty temper."

Screams rang out and Dumbledore quickly regained control. “Everyone will report to the Great Hall at once!” he ordered. “Prefects, lead your House to safety! Filius and Severus, retrieve your students. I will alert Pomona and Minerva.”

“Miss Potter and Miss Granger, you will stick closely to the Prefects,” instructed Flitwick. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir!”

“Lupin, you will not leave this group,” snapped Snape.

“Yes sir!”

Nearly Headless Nick followed them, comforting the students were sobbing in terror. Peeves floated near Charlie in an almost protective manner and she gave him a weak smile.

"We're very lucky nothing happened to the Fat Lady," Hermione said optimistically. "And it was a good thing we were all at the feast."

Charlie nodded distractedly. Something was bugging her, but she wanted to tell her friends when they were settled in the Great Hall. There was a piece of the puzzle out of place and she wanted to know where it fit.


	6. Near Death By Dementor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Ravenclaw Quidditch team are my OCs.

Snape, Flitwick and Sprout escorted their students to the Great Hall, where the Gryffindors along with Charlie, Harry and Hermione were already gathered. Professors arrived to supervise the student populace and their expressions were grim as they spoke in low voices with one another.

Dumbledore came by once everyone was accounted for in the Great Hall. “For your safety, you will all be spending the night here. Teachers and prefects will keep guard and alert me at the slightest disturbance. Sleep well, and do not worry."

He gave his wand a flick and the tables flew against the walls. Hundreds of soft purple sleeping bags spread out across the floor. As the students reluctantly got themselves settled Dumbledore left to continue his search for Sirius Black. The Gryffindors began to tell their peers what had occurred and the whispers spread like wildfire.

"I can't believe this," Harry whispered as he and his friends claimed sleeping bags in the far corner.

"It's just my luck," Charlie said flatly as she collapsed into her sleeping bag. "But it just doesn’t make sense. If he really wanted to kill me, wouldn’t he be absolutely sure of which House I would be in before he attacked?”

“Not unless he was absolutely confident you were in Gryffindor,” countered Ron. “That’s where everyone thought you’d be Sorted, Charlie.”

“I hope they catch him,” fretted Hermione. “If Black keeps trying to break into Gryffindor Tower and succeeds, he’s going to be furious when he discovers Charlie isn’t there.”

Ron shivered in terror. “Thanks for that, Hermione.”

"How did he even get into the castle?” asked Harry, stress on his features as he ran his fingers through his brunette hair. “How could Black have possibly found a way that Dumbledore didn’t think of?”

"I don’t know,” said Charlie with a troubled expression. “Why did he attack on Halloween? He was a Hogwarts student, right? He should have known everyone in the castle would have been at the Halloween feast.”

"Perhaps he lost track of time," Hermione suggested. “He’s on the run. Surely he’s not able to keep his days in order.”

They fell silent, none of them having any solid answers, and Charlie could not shake the feeling that she was missing something. In the grave atmosphere, they were unable to make idle chatter, and so they simply took comfort in each other’s presence.

Remus showed up half an hour later, his eyes roaming the Great Hall for his charge. He found Harry tucked away in the corner and he approached him, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder. Harry rolled over in surprise. “Unc—uh, Professor Lupin,” he said in relief. “Did you find him?”

“Not yet.” When Harry’s brow creased in worry, Remus smoothed his thumb over his cheek. “You don’t need to be scared, pup. He won’t get to you. I promise.”

“I know,” said Harry with nod. “I’m not scared.”

“That doesn’t really comfort me,” said Remus with a sigh. “We’re going to have to have a talk about your tendency to wander the castle at dark.”

Harry winced. “Who told you?”

“Professor Dumbledore.”

“I wasn’t really wandering. I was just going to walk Charlie and Hermione to Ravenclaw Tower. But then we heard the commotion—”

“Which you followed.”

“I suppose I’m not helping my case,” muttered Harry.

“We’ll talk about it later,” said Remus softly. He glanced at Charlie, Ron and Hermione, who were burrowed in their sleeping bags. “Try and get some sleep. I’m going to rejoin the search.”

Harry gripped Remus’ hand; his eyes serious. “Be careful.”

“I will.” Remus gave his hand a tender squeeze. “If you need me, for anything at all, just ask a teacher. They’ll send for me.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, Harry.”

Harry smiled. “I love you too.”

Remus departed and Harry glanced over at his friends. “You can stop pretending now.”

Charlie rolled over and grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Hermione hugged her pillow and said, “He’s very sweet.”

“Only when I haven’t done anything to anger him,” quipped Harry.

“He didn’t seem angry,” pointed out Ron. “That’s good.”

“Well, his lectures aren’t all that fun, either.”

“Better than being reamed out, mate.”

“Very true.”

A few hours passed, but the four weren’t able to fall asleep. The Great Hall was filled with soft snores and gentle breathing. Footsteps shuffled down the aisles as the teachers dutifully watched over them. There was a creak as the Great Hall doors opened and Charlie peeked over to see Dumbledore walking in. He approached Percy Weasley and they spoke briefly before Dumbledore turned in their direction. Charlie’s gaze darted over to Penelope Clearwater, who stood near them with a pensive expression.

Charlie closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. Dumbledore came over a few minutes later and he said softly, “I hope all is well with you, Miss Clearwater.”

“Yes, Professor. The younger students were a bit spooked, but we managed to comfort them enough to get them to sleep. Have you found him?”

"No,” said Dumbledore regretfully. “We've searched the entire castle. To be honest, I did not expect Sirius Black to linger. I see no point in moving the children now. You should get some rest, Miss Clearwater. You’ve done a phenomenal job."

“Thank you, Professor.”

Penelope went over to her friends, who had saved her a sleeping bag. Dumbledore stood in place for a moment, his fingers pressed together and his eyes surveying his students.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

"Yes, Professor Snape? Have you found something?"

Charlie was tempted to crack her eyes open just slightly so she could see her two professors, but did not want to give herself away.

"No, Headmaster. Others are still searching, but I doubt that we will find anything. I want to express my concerns that someone on the inside may be helping Black into the castle. Particularly the person you have just assigned the position of—"

"You've expressed these concerns before and my answer is still the same. I trust everyone in this castle, Professor Snape," Dumbledore responded sharply. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to complete one more thorough inspection before morning.”

Snape gave a frustrated sigh as Dumbledore walked away. He followed after him and, when Charlie was sure they’d gone, she opened her eyes and rolled over. Her friends, who also pretended to be asleep, adjusted their positions so they could face her.

"What was all that about?" Charlie asked in bewilderment.

"Snape believes that someone on the inside is helping Black into the castle,” whispered Ron. “The person Dumbledore recently hired."

"It's not Uncle Remus!" Harry said hotly, furious that anyone would think of such a thing.

"We know!" Hermione said quickly. "We've all seen how Professor Snape looks at your uncle—it's obvious he doesn’t like him. Perhaps Professor Snape was just hoping Professor Dumbledore would believe him."

Charlie groaned and buried her head into her sleeping bag. "Why is it we always have a mystery to solve every year?” she asked, her voice muffled. “First year it was 'what is the big monster dog guarding?' Second year was 'what's Petrifying all the students?' Now it's 'how is Sirius Black getting inside the castle?'"

"Don't forget 'when will he realize Charlie is in Ravenclaw?’" Ron added.

Hermione cuffed him across the head. “Let’s not think about the questions right now,” she said firmly. We really do need to try and get some sleep.”

But Charlie’s mind was humming, and the fact that she was why Sirius Black was trying so desperately to get into Hogwarts did not escape her. If someone else got killed because of her, she’d never be able to forgive herself.

...

“Good morning, all!”

Dumbledore’s magically-amplified voice was more than enough to spur his students into consciousness. When hundreds of bleary eyes peered up at him, Dumbledore continued speaking with his normal tone. “The entirety of this castle has been searched and we have not found anything. I want to assure you that we will continue to ensure your safety, and we will not stop until we find out how Sirius Black infiltrated our walls. I know it’s been a long, frightening night, so let’s start the day off right with a hearty breakfast. While it is being prepared, why don’t you all go to your dorms and freshen up?”

There was a buzz of conversation as everyone shuffled tiredly out of the Great Hall. Charlie ran her fingers through her hair, grimacing at the knots she encountered. “Ow.”

“Mr. Lupin.”

“Yes, Professor?” asked Harry warily as his Head of House approached him.

Charlie and Hermione quickly walked around him, ignoring the betrayal that flashed across his face. They tried slipping their way into the crowd but found themselves stuck in place. “Dang it,” muttered Charlie. “They remembered.”

Flitwick came over to them with narrowed eyes. “I do believe we need to have a discussion. Report to my office after you are finished getting ready.”

“Yes, Professor,” said Charlie and Hermione in unison.

Flitwick nodded and set them free from the invisible hold. They wasted no time in scampering off and Harry hastily caught up to them. “Thanks for that!” he snapped.

“I was hoping to delay the inevitable,” said Charlie apologetically. “It didn’t work.”

“At least you’re only in trouble once,” said Harry sourly. “I shouldn’t have made eye contact with Uncle Remus. He made the ‘come to my quarters afterwards’ gesture.”

“That’s a very specific gesture.”

“Your faces were priceless,” snickered Ron, coming up behind them.

They split up once they left the Great Hall and went to their respective dorms. Charlie wrangled a brush through her long hair, trying to work out the tight knots. She changed into a fresh pair of clothes and shrugged on her robes. She waited for Hermione in the common room and together they went to Flitwick’s office.

Charlie knocked on his door and nudged it open when they were granted entrance. They dutifully went to stand in front of his desk, with Hermione wringing her hands nervously. Perched on his usual stack of cushions, Flitwick regarded his two wayward Ravenclaws with disapproval.

"What were you two _thinking_? I gave you an order. No wandering after dark.”

“We were going to go to Ravenclaw Tower, honest!” insisted Charlie. “It’s just when we got closer to Gryffindor Tower, we heard shouting, so we went to see what was going on.”

“That does not change that fact that you were somewhere you weren’t supposed to be, Miss Potter.”

“We weren’t alone,” said Hermione weakly.

“You weren’t alone last time, either,” said Flitwick with a strict frown. “That is not an acceptable excuse. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Lupin may be very capable young men, but the efforts of all four of you combined would have nothing against Sirius Black. There is a reason for rules, and they are to keep you safe. Even when it became obvious that Sirius Black was in the castle, you still attempted to slip away!"

"Sorry," Hermione squeaked.

“I told you there would be severe consequences if you wandered the castle after dark again. Fifty points from Ravenclaw from the both of you.”

Charlie’s face fell. “Professor—”

“Do not argue, Miss Potter. If this upsets you, then may it serve as a reminder the next time you feel the urge to walk these corridors at night. You're both in Ravenclaw for a reason—start acting like it.”

“Yes, Professor,” said Hermione softly.

“Yes, Professor,” echoed Charlie.

“I do not want to have this conversation with you two again. Miss Granger, you are dismissed.”

Hermione shot Charlie a quick, questioning glance before leaving. Flitwick folded his hands against his desk and sighed heavily. "Miss Potter, there's something you should know. I had a long conversation with Professor Dumbledore last night and we both agree it’s for the best. I don't want to frighten you but you need to understand why it's crucial that you follow these rules."

"It’s because Sirius Black wants to kill me,” interjected Charlie.

Flitwick was gobsmacked. "You _know_ a mass murderer is after you and you _still_ blatantly disobey the rules?"

Charlie rubbed the back of her neck, face red with embarrassment. "Well. When you put it that way, it makes me seem incredibly stupid—which I suppose isn’t wrong.”

"Nonsense. You're a bright girl. You simply have a habit of letting your curiosity overcome you. But now that I know you know about Black's true intentions I think we should take some extra precautions."

"Like what?” asked Charlie, dread starting to build in her gut.

"Perhaps you should take a hiatus from Quidditch."

“Professor, please no,” said Charlie in dismay.

"For your own safety, Miss Potter," Flitwick said, sympathetic but firm. “We can’t have you out in the pitch in the evening hours.”

"Scarlet will be devastated. She's really motivated to win the Quidditch Cup this year. Please don’t take away my Quidditch privileges,” pleaded Charlie. “Couldn’t a professor supervise the practices?”

Flitwick thought about it for a moment. “I will make you an offer, Miss Potter. If Madam Hooch is willing to supervise your Quidditch practices, I will allow you to continue your position as Seeker."

Charlie beamed. "Thank you!"

“If you wish to keep playing Quidditch, I suggest you heed the rules from here on out,” warned Flitwick. “I will not tell you again. You may go.”

Charlie left the office and immediately began her search for the Flying instructor. She ran into Ron during her hunt.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Professor Flitwick wasn’t happy with us. We lost a hundred points.”

Ron recoiled, as if the points had been taken away from Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw. “That’s harsh.”

“Well, I can’t blame him. He also tried to tell me that Black is after me, but I told him I already knew.”

“Now that must have been a priceless expression.”

“It was. He thought about taking away Quidditch—”

"What?" interrupted Ron in horror. "He can't do that!"

"He can,” said Charlie patiently. “I appreciate his concern. But you didn't let me finish. He won't take me off the team if I can get Madam Hooch to supervise my practices. I'm looking for her right now. Has breakfast started yet?”

"I don’t think so. Most of the Gryffindors were still in the tower when I left, so we’ve probably got some time. I’ll help you look.”

“Well, I was thinking about checking the staff room.”

“If you talk, I’ll knock,” offered Ron.

“Sounds good.”

They walked through the castle and when they reached the staff room Ron rapped on the door. It took a minute for the door to open and McGonagall peered out at them. “Potter, Weasley. Why aren’t you at breakfast?”

"We’re going there next,” said Charlie quickly. “I was just wondering if Madam Hooch was here, and if she is, may I speak to her?”

McGonagall nodded and disappeared. A second later Hooch appeared in the doorway, hawk-like eyes focussing on them. "Well, Potter, what can I do for you?"

"I just talked to Professor Flitwick. He doesn’t want me to attend Quidditch practices because Sirius Black is on the loose and he’s trying to get to me.”

Hooch's gaze softened. "You know about that, eh?"

“Yes.” It was a bit disturbing to Hooch how calm and collected the girl looked, despite knowing the frightful news. “I was hoping you would be willing to supervise my practices. Please?”

"Please?" chimed in Ron.

"Well, I don't see why not,” said Hooch with a curt nod. “There's a copy of the Quidditch pitch booking here, so I'll know when your practices are."

A bright smile crossed Charlie’s face. "Thank you so much!"

"You’re welcome. I'll inform Professor Flitwick that he has no need to remove you as Seeker. He'll be as happy about it as you are."

Charlie bid goodbye and she and Ron hurried off to the Great Hall for breakfast. When their backs were turned Hooch allowed the fond smile to surface, easing the door shut behind her.

"What was that about?" McGonagall questioned from her place in a puffy armchair.

"Potter wanted to know if I would supervise her Quidditch practices. Filius isn't too settled by the idea of her being exposed in the evenings."

Sinistra glanced up from her grading with a frown. "But why would he tell her that? Won't that make her suspicious?"

"She already knows Black is after her."

The Astronomy professor gaped. "No! Filius told her?"

“It’s for the best,” said McGonagall. “With her penchant for getting into trouble, she needs to be aware. Albus should have told her the second she stepped foot into this castle.”

"Did she seem frightened?" asked Sinistra.

Hooch shook her head. "Not at all, actually.”

"And _that_ worries me," muttered McGonagall.

...

Charlie, Ron and Hermione walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and were startled to find Snape standing at the front of the room. "Where's Professor Lupin?" Ron asked in surprise.

"He's ill," Snape said curtly. "Sit down."

The three took their regular seats. They watched the expressions of their peers as they came into the room, which ranged from dismay to pure horror. When class started Snape surveyed them with an almost bored expression.

"Since Lupin has failed to give me information on his lesson plans, we will spend this class learning about werewolves."

"Sir, we've just finished Grindylows," Hermione timidly spoke up. "We were about to start on—"

"I would expect my first-years to learn about Grindylows, Miss Granger," Snape interrupted. "But it is obvious that Professor Lupin doesn't have the competence to properly teach a class."

"He's a brilliant professor!" Dean Thomas snapped a few rows away. "The best DADA professor we've ever had!"

The three in the front flinched, knowing very well Dean had dug his own grave. Snape's black eyes glittered and he whispered, "Thirty points from Gryffindor. Speak out again, Thomas, and you'll receive a detention. Now all of you open your textbooks to page three-hundred and ninety-four."

Everyone took out their books and turned to the assigned page. "Who can tell me the basic distinction between a werewolf and a regular wolf?" Snape asked.

Hermione's hand shot into the air and to everyone's surprise, especially Hermione's, Snape nodded at her. "The snout of a werewolf is longer than that of a regular wolf," she answered.

"I suppose that will do. Only one person knows how to recognize a werewolf, eh? I'll have to inform Professor Dumbledore about Lupin's shoddy teaching skills. You will spend this class reading the chapter and I expect you to take notes.”

There was an odd look in his eyes. It reminded Charlie of how Dudley would act whenever he knew she was about to get into trouble and was waiting for the backlash. Charlie flipped through the textbook, discovering the unit on werewolves several lessons ahead, and furrowed her brow.

_Why werewolves?_

Eventually the bell rang, signalling the end of class, and they all trooped out. "Professor Snape really has something against Professor Lupin, doesn't he?" muttered Hermione.

"Do you reckon it's because of the Boggart incident?" Ron asked.

Charlie shrugged. "I’m sure that didn’t help. He’s hated Professor Lupin since we arrived at Hogwarts. I don’t know why, but it usually doesn’t take much.”

As the periods switched over, the three did not run into Harry, and therefore did not get a chance to give him a rundown of the day’s lesson. Harry hurried into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom just before the bell chimed. His surprise at seeing Snape was not because he was expecting Remus. It was because this was the last person he thought Dumbledore would get to teach the course.

He sat in the front of the room with Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott. He dug out his textbook and some parchment. “Today,” spoke Snape, “we will be discussing werewolves.”

Harry froze.

“Werewolves?” said Susan in confusion. “Professor, we just finished—”

“I don’t care what you just finished, Miss Bones,” said Snape acidly. “You are woefully behind in the subject matter. I intend to make up for Lupin’s incompetence.”

The Slytherins started to snicker. He could feel their eyes on the back of his neck. He took a slow breath, trying to calm his anger.

“Who can tell me the difference between a werewolf and a normal wolf?”

Harry peeked around. Not a single hand was in the air.

“Mr. Lupin.”

Harry stared steadily at the tabletop. He ignored the jabs Hannah gave his side. Snape’s eyes narrowed and he advanced, smacking his hands on either side of Harry’s textbook. The boy reluctantly looked up, brown eyes flashing.

“Answer me when I’m talking to you.”

“We’re not yet on werewolves, sir,” said Harry tightly. “I could tell you exactly where we left off, if you’d like.”

“I am the one teaching this class. I do not require your assistance. _Answer my question._ ”

“I wouldn’t know, sir,” said Harry through gritted teeth.

Snape leaned closer, his nose just inches away from Harry’s face. “Is that so, Mr. Lupin?”

Harry abruptly shot to his feet, forcing Snape to take a step back. His entire body trembled. “This isn’t fair!” he hissed.

“You know nothing about fairness,” snarled Snape. “Twenty points from Hufflepuff. Sit down.”

There was a glimmer of glee in his black eyes that caused Harry to feel great rage. Snape knew exactly what he was doing and Harry knew what he was trying to do. For reasons he didn’t understand, Snape was trying to prompt the students into discovering that his uncle was a werewolf.

“I won’t have any part of this,” he said, furious tears springing to his eyes.

He seized his supplies with one hand and his bag with the other. He stormed out of the class amidst startled gasps and he sprinted down the corridor, wanting to get as far away from Snape as possible.

He’d never before hated the Potions Master as much as he did in that moment. He was usually quiet in class and completed his work with a decent degree of efficiency and success. He knew by the cold glares Snape aimed in his direction and the venom that dripped from his tone when he spoke directly to him that Snape disliked him more than any other Hufflepuff. But he didn’t do anything to rile the man, and so Snape didn’t have much opportunity to torment him.

Snape seemed to have calmed this year, to the four of them at least, and Harry wasn’t entirely sure why. He didn’t care now, because surely, he had just reignited Snape’s fury towards him. “They’re wrong,” he thought aloud, thinking of Charlie and Hermione. “He’s just a much of a prat as he’s always been.”

_What if someone finds out?_

The castle walls felt like they were closing in on him and he rushed outside. The cold air slapped his cheeks, turning them red, and he took gulping breaths. He walked aimlessly across the grounds, clutching his book to his chest.

_There’s no way Uncle Remus agreed to have Snape teach his class. What was Dumbledore thinking?_

“Mr. Lupin!”

Harry groaned softly and reluctantly turned around. Sprout was standing just outside the greenhouses, motioning him to come towards her. He shuffled over and Sprout demanded, “Is there a reason you’re not in class where you belong?”

“I got into a tiff with Professor Snape,” said Harry stiffly. “I left.”

“I’ve been needing to have far too many talks with you for my liking, Mr. Lupin.”

“It’s his fault,” snapped Harry. “He skipped all the way to the lesson on werewolves!”

Sprout paused for a moment. “Ah.” Her voice softening, she said, “I know that must cause you some distress, especially since your guardian isn’t the one doing the teaching. But that’s no reason to skip Defense Against the Dark Arts or mouth off to your professor.”

“He’s doing it on purpose,” insisted Harry. “There’s no reason to miss all those other lessons if he wasn’t trying to expose my uncle.”

Sprout’s gaze sharpened. “Do not make such accusations with no evidence, Mr. Lupin.”

Harry looked away in frustration, feeling the tears build and start to spill over. He roughly rubbed them away. “If someone finds out, they’re going to tell, and Uncle Remus is going to get kicked out of the castle.”

Sprout removed a handkerchief from her robes and handed it to her Badger. Though it was streaked with dirt Harry didn’t care, finding a clean portion to rub at his eyes. Sprout set a hand against Harry’s arm and said gently, “I assure you, Mr. Lupin, no student in the school has the idea that Remus is a werewolf. He’s been hiding it very well, and so have you. Though I suspect barging out of class might raise some questions.”

Harry’s ears turned red. “I guess.”

“Even if someone manages to connect the dots, Dumbledore will not remove him from the castle simply because people know. He was the one who let Remus attend Hogwarts and he’s the one who offered him the job. You need not worry.”

“All right,” said Harry dubiously, his emotions ebbing slightly. “I still don’t know why Professor Snape insists on doing werewolves.”

“It is his class, so he picks the lesson,” said Sprout pointedly. “It is not to you to argue what he teaches.”

“I know,” muttered Harry.

“Can I trust you to go back to class, or do I need to leave my sixth-years on their own while I personally escort you?”

“I’ll go back.” Harry returned the handkerchief and said quietly, “Thank you, Professor.”

Sprout smiled warmly, patting his hand. “Of course, Mr. Lupin. I do recommend you speak with your uncle, if you are still concerned. But I truly believe you have nothing to worry about.”

 _That’s because Snape doesn’t look at you like he wants to kill you on the spot,_ thought Harry bitterly.

He made his way back to the castle, not entirely certain if Snape would let him back in class but knowing that Sprout would have his head if he didn’t try. He approached the door, wariness on his features, and lightly knocked.

When Snape turned to face him, Harry managed to keep his voice neutral as he asked quietly, “May I come back to class?”

Snape tilted his head, regarding Harry with a sneer. “That depends on you, Lupin. Do you or do you not know the difference between a werewolf and a regular wolf?”

“Werewolves have a shorter snout, human-like eyes, a tufted tail and they hunt mindlessly,” said Harry, trying to speak as quickly as possible. “Wolves are not aggressive. They very rarely target humans.”

Snape had not expected Harry to answer so thouroughly. It was clear the boy knew exactly what he trying to accomplish, given the suspicion and anger swirling in his eyes. But his voice remained calm, his posture resigned, and Snape gave a short nod of his head.

“Thank you.” Harry filed into the room and took his seat, where his Hufflepuff companions looked at him worriedly.

“I will be assigning homework at the end of class, Mr. Lupin. You will be writing an extra foot.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Open your textbook and start making notes on the werewolf chapter.”

Harry suppressed his scowl as he complied. Snape left him alone for the rest of class, and Harry hoped his peers didn’t make the connection between his uncle’s absence and last night’s full moon.

...

"Scarlet, this is mad!" Tommy Nickerson howled over the roaring winds and pounding rain.

It was the day of their first Quidditch game, where they’d be facing Hufflepuff. The weather was just awful—rain slashed through the air, the sky was a dark grey and the winds nearly took them off their feet.

"Hufflepuff isn't calling off this game and neither am I!" Scarlet shouted with her dark hair plastered to her face. Her eyes burned with competitive passion. "We are going to play and we are going to win!"

"This is ridiculous," Aurora Lore muttered. "How are we supposed to see our targets in this mess?"

"Use your gut feeling," Scarlet snapped. Off in the distance they could see the yellow Quidditch robes of the Hufflepuff team. Students were gathering into the stands, braving the conditions to see their beloved sport.

Clancy Stevenson shook his head as they filed to the middle of the pitch. "Looks like that backflip on my broom will have to wait until the skies are clear."

"Are you sure you don't want to attempt it today?" Aurora asked innocently. "I'm sure you'd do wonderfully."

"Please! You just want to see me face-plant on the pitch."

"I really don't like this," Danny Carting said nervously. "I can hardly see my hand in front of my face."

Eliza Mourning patted his trembling shoulder in comfort. "I'm sure Headmaster wouldn't let us play if he knew something terrible would happen to us."

Madam Hooch hovered on her broom just above the two teams. "You know the drill; a good clean game, and be especially alert in this weather. Are you sure you don't want to reschedule?"

"No!" Scarlet and the Hufflepuff team captain hollered.

Charlie cast a glance at Harry, who only seemed to be paying half-attention. He had been subdued over the past couple of days, apparently due to an argument with Snape. He didn’t explain what the argument was about and they didn’t press.

“At least you didn’t blow him up with magic,” she had joked. Harry had barely managed to muster a smile in response.

The whistle blast was hardly heard over a crack of thunder. Jolted from their thoughts, Harry and Charlie shot into the sky with the rest of the players. Charlie relied on her sense of hearing, trying to pinpoint where the whistling Bludgers were at all times. Her eyes were on the lookout for the glittering Golden Snitch. She couldn’t make out Cedric through the downpour, but she knew he was also on the hunt.

 _Geez Louise!_ Charlie swerved just in time to avoid the Bludger rushing towards her. _If Sirius Black is lucky, then this match is going to be the end of me!_

"Albus, you are insane!" Remus hissed from the staff stands as he stared worriedly at the game. He wished he could see his charge clearly, but the weather made visibility nearly impossible.

Harry had visited his quarters as soon as he knew it was safe to do so. After their conversation, Remus noticed that Harry hadn’t been as focussed lately, disturbed over Snape’s attempts to force the topic of werewolves on the third-years. Remus knew Harry wasn’t wrong in his assumptions, but nonetheless scolded him for talking back. He didn’t want Harry to get in trouble for his sake.

“I’ll tell everyone they don’t have to do the essay,” he had promised. “But the next time Snape fills in for me, you must not let him get to you. It’s my job to worry about you, Harry. Not the other way around.”

Harry hadn’t been pleased, but he agreed.

After several minutes of fruitlessly searching the skies, he finally managed to pinpoint Harry. He was constantly pausing in the air, scrubbing at his face. Charlie flew up to him and there was a brief glow as she muttered a spell. The Ravenclaws knew at once what she had done and groaned while the Hufflepuffs cheered their gratitude.

"What happened?" Sprout asked frantically. "I can't see a thing!"

"This is precisely why we should call this match off!" Remus cried.

"Charlotte has just cast an Impervius Charm on Harry's glasses," Dumbledore informed.

"Well, that was nice of her. Ten points to Ravenclaw," Sprout declared.

"Severus, give me those binoculars! I want to see _something_!" McGonagall snapped at the Potions professor, who sat below her. "I don't even know how you can see anything, Albus!"

"An old man has his tricks," Albus said idly. "Remus, you must calm down. I attended this game specifically so no student would be harmed. They were so looking forward to it and I didn't want to deprive them. If one falls off, I'll be sure to catch them."

"You better!" Flitwick and Sprout shouted.

Now that Remus knew which one was Harry, he didn’t tear his eyes away. Harry was his world. If Remus had the power to bring back James and Lily, he would do so in a heartbeat. But he couldn’t, and being allowed the responsibility to raise Harry as his own child distracted him from his grief. He sometimes felt guilty for being so happy, for he knew the things he was doing with Harry were activities James should have shared with his son. But the joy was overwhelming, and he loved Harry deeply. He had pleaded for Dumbledore to let him take Charlie as well, and was devastated when he learned the twins would be separated.

He gave Harry the best life he could. He tried to keep his true identity a secret, but it proved to be almost impossible. How could you explain where you went once a month and came back looking unwell? How did you explain an almost endless line of babysitters and nannies? It didn’t help that Harry was perceptive. Remus had been forced to deliver the truth when he was seven. Though Harry knew werewolves were monsters, he wasn’t scared. Not a bit. He latched on to Remus and wouldn’t let go. And when his Boggart had transformed into a werewolf, Harry took the first chance to speak to his uncle in private, explaining that he was scared Remus would become a werewolf permanently and leave him.

He was so understanding and so loving. Harry was a gift he didn’t deserve but cherished. He would always be immensely grateful to Dumbledore for convincing the Ministry that despite his affliction, he would make a suitable guardian. It had taken several inspections, but eventually they were convinced that Remus would always take the proper precautions and would never put Harry at risk.

Remus longed to tell Charlie and Harry the truth. He desperately wanted to tell Harry about his parents without fabricating names or details. But the longer it was kept a secret the longer Harry wouldn’t be at risk of being discovered by the Dark Lord. If Sirius had known, if he had been present at the birth—it wouldn’t just be Charlie he’d be trying to kill.

A pang went off in his chest along with an uncomfortable feeling. Even now, after all these years he had trouble believing that Sirius was in ranks with the Dark Lord. Remus gave his head a sharp shake and returned his full attention to the game. Through the mist he caught something strange coming towards the pitch and he turned white. “Albus! The Dementors—"

But he need not finish his warning. A frigid cold swept through the stadium along with a sudden silence. He could see the students screaming but could not hear them. Cedric snagged the Snitch just as dozens of black Dementors swarmed, causing the Quidditch players to scatter. The teachers launched to their feet and attempted to cast the Patronus Charm, but none of them were even close to being effective against the mass of Dementors. 

Snape's blood felt ice cold and Lily's corpse flashed unbidden through his mind. The terror of Dumbledore's students penetrated his despair, freeing him from the memory of his sister's death. Fury radiated from the Headmaster as he cast his Patronus, which was successful in repelling the Dementors.

“Albus!” shouted Snape. “Potter!”

Dumbledore’s gaze cut through the mist. Charlie was limp in the arms of Harry, who was hanging precariously over his broom as he desperately tried to keep the girl from falling. His cry of anguish penetrated the air when she slipped from his grasp and hurtled for the ground. Dumbledore quickly cast a spell that caused Charlie to slow down, so that she hit the pitch with less force.

The teachers raced from the stands. “Minerva, Aurora, Pomona, get these students into the Great Hall! Make sure Poppy is on standby with a supply of chocolate,” demanded Dumbledore.

"I can't accept this!" Cedric could be heard shouting as they neared. He was standing next to Madam Hooch, who was frantically trying to get a response out of the prone Ravenclaw. "Charlotte fell because of those Dementors. This win doesn't count!"

"You won fair and square, Cedric," Scarlet said, squeezing his shoulder. "Charlie would agree.”

"Back to the castle,” Flitwick instructed his Quidditch team. “You’ve been in the rain long enough.”

"But Professor—!"

"We'll take care of Miss Potter, Miss Ezra."

Scarlet looked at Charlie desperately. “Is she going to be okay?”

“I promise she will be on her feet soon enough,” assured Dumbledore. “This has been a terrible ordeal. I apologize for allowing such a thing to happen."

"It wasn't your fault, Headmaster," Eliza managed to say. "You couldn't have known the Dementors would get onto the pitch."

She was pale and trembling and that only increased Dumbledore's anger. How dare the Dementors treat his students in such a way? "I insist all of you go to the Great Hall for some warmth and chocolate.”

The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams reluctantly obeyed, shooting Charlie worried looks as they left. Only three students remained.

Harry clutched Charlie's hand; fear written across his pale face. Ron held on to her other hand, his entire body trembling with terror. Hermione gently cradled Charlie’s head in her lap, keeping it off the muddy ground. Their hair was plastered to their faces and their robes stuck to their bodies. They shivered violently from the cold but did not move.

"Children," Dumbledore spoke softly. The three defiant expressions almost made him smile. He felt enormously grateful that Charlotte had such loyal friends. She would most certainly need them more and more as time wore on.

"We're not leaving!" Harry said hotly.

"We're staying with her," Ron agreed.

"Will she be all right?" Hermione asked tearfully.

"None of you will be if you stay in this weather any longer," Snape spoke up. "I suggest you listen to the Headmaster and stop being so foolish."

Remus bent down and gently pried Harry from Charlie's limp body. "Pup, she'll be fine. Come along."

Harry pressed close to his uncle and allowed himself to be escorted from the field. The fear he had felt from Charlie was intense, more so than the other times she encountered the Dementors. He hated it, and he hated the Dementors for doing this to his sister.

Hermione and Ron slowly moved away from Charlie as Dumbledore conjured up a stretcher. He levitated Charlie onto it and started after Remus and Harry towards the castle at a fast but careful pace.

"Where's Miss Potter's broomstick?" Flitwick questioned.

"It blew away," Ron said faintly, gesturing in the direction of the Whomping Willow.

Flitwick flinched. "I suppose I ought to see if I can retrieve it."

Snape eyed the two frozen students, who were standing stock-still, grief and anguish evident in their eyes. The same feelings that were currently twisting around his heart, the ones he felt every time he thought of her.

_Lily._

He steeled himself against the swell of emotions, keeping his expression blank. "I assure you Miss Potter will be fine. Your own health will be in jeopardy if you continue to stand here mindlessly. I’d rather not have your mother come after me if she learns I left you out here, Ronald.”

Startled by the use of his first name and the fact that the strict and cruel Potions Master had actually made a joke, Ron numbly started off for the castle. Hermione followed after him, trying in vain to keep the tears at bay and failing.

A green handkerchief was pressed into her hand. "You children and your dramatics,” muttered Snape. “It's a wonder I haven't quit yet."

...

When Charlie’s eyes fluttered open, she found herself in the hospital wing. Her brow furrowed and she slowly sat up. The last thing she remembered was flying through the rain, searching for the Snitch. What had happened—

_Oh. Right._

The Dementors flocking in...glimpsing Cedric catch the Snitch...falling into total darkness…hearing her mother's dying screams...

A sob escaped her throat and she pressed her palm over her mouth to try and keep quiet. Tears blurred her eyes as her mother’s voice echoed through her mind. It was the first time she had ever heard it, and it shouldn’t have sounded so horrible.

A soft snore caused her to turn her head. Ron and Harry were sleeping in chairs next to her bed, while Hermione was slumbering on the couch near the door.

"Miss Potter."

Charlie watched as Snape entered the room. "Professor,” she croaked.

Snape glanced at Hermione. “Your little friends refused to leave. Madam Pomfrey was ready to throw them out but Professor Dumbledore intervened."

Charlie nodded. She couldn’t keep her tears contained and they streamed down her cheeks. Snape’s frown sharpened and he moved to her side. “Are you injured?”

“No,” she whispered.

“Then why the tears?”

_Her mother screaming, begging for her life, screaming screaming screaming._

“Is it normal to hear voices when the Dementors are near?"

"Only in very traumatic cases," Snape drawled.

"That makes sense,” said Charlie with a hiccup.

“Miss Potter, do you hear voices?” asked Snape slowly.

“Yeah. I…I hear…I hear my mother. As she’s dying.”

The admittance caused her to start to sob uncontrollably. She buried her face into her hands, her entire body shaking with grief and despair. Snape was frozen for a moment before he cautiously approached the distraught girl. He set a hand on her shoulder and the positive, comforting contact was all Charlie needed. She turned her face into Snape’s robes and clung to him as she wept.

With her vision obstructed by black fabric, she did not see the spasm of torment and agony crossing Snape’s face.


	7. Traumatizing Information

Charlie woke up several hours later with a dry throat, a headache and red-rimmed eyes. The sunlight streamed through the gauzy curtains, informing her that she had managed to sleep through most of the night. She rubbed at her eyes and peered around the room, warmth spreading through her chest upon spotting her friends still with her.

Her cheeks flushed as she remembered crying her heart out into Snape’s robes. He hadn’t seemed angry with her, and he hadn’t pushed her away. His hands had merely held her shoulders as she wept, and she supposed she must have cried herself to sleep.

"You're awake!"

Charlie jumped at the excited whisper and turned around. Harry was beaming at her and he hastily elbowed Ron in the side. The redhead groaned and opened his eyes. "What time is it?"

"It's just past six but never mind the time! Charlie is awake!" Harry leaned over and hugged his sister tightly. "Are you all right?"

Charlie hugged him back and grinned wearily. "I could be better. What happened? Why did all those Dementors come on the pitch?"

"We don’t know,” Hermione answered sleepily. She got up from the couch and went to sit on the edge of Charlie’s hospital bed. "Harry felt your fear and went right to you just as you were fainting. He tried to pull you onto his broom to safety."

"I didn't do such a great job,” said Harry morosely. “Good thing Dumbledore was there. He saved you and got rid of the Dementors.”

“We thought you were dead,” said Ron softly.

Hermione nodded. "We were terrified!"

“I’m okay,” Charlie promised. “Sort of. See, when I encounter the Dementors, I hear screaming. But this time I heard a voice. It was my mother. Pleading for my life. Screaming as she died.”

Her voice wavered and Hermione gasped. She clutched Charlie’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “Oh, Charlie! I’m so sorry.”

"I suppose that's why the Dementors affect you so much and not me,” said Harry quietly. “I wasn’t there when our parents died.”

"It's not a pleasant thing to hear," Charlie muttered. "I broke down in tears last night."

"Why didn't you wake us up?" Ron asked. "We wouldn't have minded."

"Professor Snape actually came in just as I woke up. I was still really shaken up, and I told him what happened. I couldn’t help it—I just started crying. Into his robes and everything. He didn’t say anything. He just let me hold him as I cried.”

Ron gaped at her. "Seriously? Severus Snape? Are you sure?"

Charlie laughed. "Positive.”

Harry made a face. “He’s still the bat in the dungeons.”

“I know he can be…well, Professor Snape,” said Charlie lightly. “But I'm just glad I don't have him breathing down my neck anymore."

"He was nice to us on the pitch," Hermione spoke.

Ron thought about all the small, subtle actions the Potions professor had made towards them over the course of the year. “I suppose he’s not completely horrible,” he admitted reluctantly. “When we catch him in a good enough mood and don’t do anything to make him go mad.”

“And when he doesn’t make cracks against Uncle Remus and _I_ don’t go mad,” said Harry flatly.

"What happened to my broomstick?" asked Charlie.

"Oh." Ron nervously glanced at Harry. "Well...it blew away in the wind and Flitwick went to retrieve it."

"And?" Charlie prompted, feeling uneasy.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck as Hermione removed a purple satchel from underneath his chair. "It crashed into the Whomping Willow, and we all know how the Whomping Willow reacts to getting hit."

Hermione upturned the bag and dozens of splintered pieces of wood fell into Charlie's lap. "We're really sorry!"

Charlie stared in dismay at her beloved Nimbus. She picked up a piece and rubbed it between her fingers. "Let us all take a moment to remember the brilliant Nimbus Two Thousand. May he be flying in the skies elsewhere."

"Farewell," four voices said forlornly.

...

Madam Pomfrey finally allowed Charlie to leave the infirmary at the end of the weekend. There was a thought that pounded against Charlie’s skull as she walked to Ravenclaw Tower. It was a detail she had forgotten to mention to her friends, and one she managed not to dwell on until now.

She had seen the Grim again.

Her eyes had fallen on the large black dog skulking along the edge of the Quidditch pitch. She had frozen, and that was when the Dementors had arrived.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore Trelawney’s prediction about seeing the death omen in her tea leaves.

She entered her dorm and found the purple satchel on her bedspread. Snowy gave an eager cry and wound her way around Charlie’s legs. She knelt and scratched her back, running her fingers through soft white fur.

“Sorry if I scared you.”

Snowy licked her hand before settling back on the pillows. Charlie dropped the remaining pieces into her trunk, not having the heart to throw them away. She combed out her hair, trying to make it somewhat presentable for dinner.

When she stepped into the Great Hall, Cedric sprang up from his table and hurried to meet her. “I’m sorry,” he said regretfully. “I really wanted a rematch—”

“You won,” interrupted Charlie with a smile. “I agree with Madam Hooch. You deserved the win.” When Cedric still looked unhappy, Charlie added, “Besides, the season is just getting started! Ravenclaw isn’t out of the running yet.”

Her confidence and sincere cheer caused Cedric to relax. “We won’t make it easy.”

“I would be disappointed if you did,” she countered.

They shook hands and Charlie went to her table, where Hermione was sitting across from Scarlet. “Hey,” she greeted as she took her seat.

“Hey,” said Scarlet in relief. “You’re feeling okay?”

“Yeah. Better than before.”

“I’m glad. You really scared us.”

“I scared myself,” said Charlie feelingly. “Sorry about the game.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” said Scarlet sharply. “So don’t even.” She hesitated before saying, “I really hate to rush you, but I heard about your broomstick. Our next match is after Christmas. I already have pitch time booked for practices, and you can use the school brooms, but it would be best if you bought a new one. The school brooms aren’t exactly current.”

"I'll get on it," Charlie said. An image of the Firebolt immediately popped into her mind but she quickly dismissed the idea. A Firebolt was expensive and she still had four years left at Hogwarts.

Scarlet gave a nod of satisfaction and turned her attention to her dinner. Hermione leaned over and prodded Charlie in the shoulder. "I need to talk to you," she said in a whisper. “After we eat.”

Charlie wasn’t entirely hungry and ate a portion of potatoes and cooked vegetables. She was done long before Hermione and, when she was ready, the two girls left the Great Hall. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Not here,” said Hermione firmly.

They approached Ravenclaw Tower, but before they could answer the riddle, the door opened. Crookshanks darted out and Charlie lunged for him. “No!” she scolded. She dragged him up the spiral stairs, wincing as he scratched at her. "Hermione, there is something weird about this cat."

"Nonsense!" Hermione exclaimed. "He just wants to get out. But since Ron is paranoid, I have to keep him cooped up in here. Someone must have let him out of our dorm." A scowl formed on her features. “It would be much easier if he just left Scabbers in _his_ common room. Scabbers doesn’t _do_ anything. He doesn’t need exercise. He—”

"What's on your mind?" Charlie asked quickly, hoping to deter her rant.

They entered the common room and claimed a pair of cushy blue chairs. Crookshanks hissed at Charlie and went to lay by Hermione’s feet. The bushy-haired girl made sure no one was around before asking seriously, "Have you finished the werewolf essay Professor Snape assigned us?"

"Well, part of it,” said Charlie. “It’s due tomorrow, isn’t it? Dang.”

"Do you think you’d be able to finish it?”

Charlie stared at Hermione in surprise. "Now?”

"Please?" Hermione pleaded.

“Er, sure. Might as well.”

Charlie retrieved her partly-written essay, quill and her textbook. For an hour she wrote and researched until coming to the conclusion of her essay. As she was reviewing her work, seeing her concise, structured thoughts on the ways to recognize a werewolf caused her to understand what Hermione was getting at.

“Well. That explains why Harry was furious with Professor Snape.”

“So you think—”

“Remus is a werewolf? Yeah.”

"I was wondering if it was just me!" Hermione let out a huff. "Do you think anyone else knows?"

"Probably not, or else they would have said something right away.” Charlie frowned in disapproval. “Assigning an essay on the topic of werewolf recognition the day after a full moon, the day Remus happened to be ill. That’s very underhanded of him.”

“Very Slytherin,” said Hermione crossly. “Professor Lupin wasn’t even there to defend himself!”

“I’m sure Harry mentioned it to him.”

“Explains why his Boggart is a werewolf and Professor Lupin’s is a full moon,” said Hermione. “Should we tell Ron?”

"I think that’s Harry’s place, really.” She stared at her essay with growing unease. “I hope no one else is as sharp and as much of an overthinker as you.”

Hermione made a face. “I’m both flattered and offended.”

...

Monday arrived and the second Defense Against the Dark Arts class officially began, the students erupted into complaints about Snape’s lesson and the essay he assigned. Their irritation quickly dissolved and was replaced by cheer when Remus assured them they didn't have to hand it in.

An hour passed and the bell rang. As the third-years were packing up their belongings, Remus called. “Charlotte, would you mind staying behind for a moment?”

Charlie waved Ron and Hermione ahead. When the last Gryffindor and Ravenclaw filed out of the classroom she said, "Yes, Professor?"

"Harry told me about your broomstick,” said Remus with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry.”

"It lived a good life,” said Charlie solemnly. “But the Whomping Willow was too much for it.”

"That tree was planted when I came to Hogwarts. We used to have great fun in trying to see who could get the closest to it. But Dumbledore quickly stopped that game when someone almost lost an eye."

Charlie laughed. "The Whomping Willow hates to be bothered."

“Very much so,” muttered Remus, flinching slightly at the memory of receiving the letter informing him of Harry and Ron’s second-year joyride. He regarded the girl intently, who was paler than normal and her green eyes appeared to be haunted by something. “Are you okay?”

"I’ve been better,” said Charlie honestly. “The Dementors…I just wish I knew why they affect me so much more than anyone else.”

"You've been through terrible horrors, Charlie. Dementors exploit those horrors and suck out every trace of happiness and leave a dark, cold hole in your chest. How you react to them is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I know,” muttered Charlie. “It’s just…it’s hard. Every time they come near me I relive the moment my mother dies.”

Remus’ body jerked and he turned around, hiding his face. Charlie looked at him in concern but before she could say anything, he shifted to look at her, his eyes heavy with emotion. “Terrible horrors, Charlie. I am sorry for what you have been going through."

"Thank you. But I’ll be fine, really.” She thought about the first time she saw the Dementors, and how Remus explained how he had gotten rid of the creature. “You know how to get rid of Dementors, don’t you?”

“I can banish them,” corrected Remus. “Dementors can’t be killed.”

"Can you teach me?" Charlie asked hopefully. If she was able to defend herself against the Dementors, then maybe she wouldn’t have such a hard time dealing with them.

Remus hesitated before nodding slowly. "Yes, I suppose I could. But you'll have to wait until after the holidays. I have quite a lot of work to do until then."

"That’s fine! Thank you!" Charlie exclaimed.

Remus’ expression softened at the genuine excitement in her voice. “You’re very welcome, Charlie. You ought to get on to your next class. I would hate to be blamed for making you late—I’m not entirely certain they’re not allowed to give _me_ detention.”

...

"Gorgeous, as always," Charlie sighed as she stared fondly at the glittering lights and Christmas trees.

The grounds outside were coated in a thick white blanket of snow and everyone was using their precious time to build snowmen or have snowball fights. The Golden Quartet had just come inside from the frigid cold to get started on their holiday homework.

"Wicked!" Ron grinned.

“I’m freezing,” muttered Harry, shoving his hands under his armpits as they wandered into the Entrance Hall. “How long until we can have hot chocolate?”

Charlie smiled. “Only a few seconds. Dobby!”

The house-elf immediately answered the summons. Hermione was always amazed that only the house-elves had the power to Apparate within Hogwarts, but she understood that house-elves had very different and stronger magic than witches and wizards.

"Hello, Charlotte Potter!" Dobby said gleefully. "Dobby hasn't seen Miss or friends in ages!"

Charlie's lips twitched, tempted to point out that she and the others had visited him in the kitchens a week ago. "Hey, Dobby. May we have some hot chocolate, please?"

“With whipped cream!” said Ron eagerly.

“And lots of marshmallows,” chimed in Harry.

Dobby _popped_ away and reappeared almost as quick, holding a tray of four mugs overflowing with marshmallows and whipped cream. "Thanks, Dobby!" Ron snatched a mug off the tray and smiled happily.

"You are very kind," Hermione added as she and Harry took their mugs.

Dobby beamed. "Dobby is a very lucky house-elf! Miss and friends are so kind to Dobby."

Charlie had tried to convince Dobby to just call her Charlie, but the house-elf seemed stuck in some old habits. "You deserve to be treated kindly, Dobby," Hermione responded, cheeks growing pink at the thought of the awful way most elves were treated.

"Thanks so much,” said Charlie gratefully. “We’ll need the sugar as a homework boost. I’ll see you later, okay?”

They bid Dobby goodbye and headed for their respective common rooms to change out of their winter gear and collect their bags. Charlie and Hermione downed their drinks before leaving Ravenclaw Tower, knowing Madam Pince would most likely murder them for bringing beverages so close to her precious books.

"Hermione, can you help me with my Potions essay?" Ron asked as they gathered around a large oak table.

"Of course! What are you having trouble with?"

"I don't really understand the theory Snape was talking about last class."

Hermione assisted Ron while Harry and Charlie were working on their Herbology. "I’ve been meaning to ask,” spoke Charlie as she read a passage in her textbook. “What did you feel when I fell off my broomstick?”

"A massive jolt of fear,” answered Harry. “Usually your emotions are muted, but that—that was powerful.”

“I was pretty terrified,” muttered Charlie.

"The two of you should work on your telepathy!" said Hermione in excitement.

Charlie was uncertain. "Gee, I don't know. It can't be that simple. And the only way to know is by getting the book you used last year from the Restricted Section, and Lockhart isn’t around to throw his signature at you without questions.”

Hermione pursed her lips. “I suppose you’re right. I should have taken notes. Stupid me.”

The days before Christmas vacation dwindled and the four finished up their holiday homework before the next scheduled Hogsmeade visit. Since Charlie was unable to go, she gave Hermione her Christmas shopping list and some money.

The corridors, as they usually were during Hogsmeade visits, were empty. Charlie headed in the direction of Remus’ office, swinging her arms at her sides as the disappointment of once again being left by her friends weighed down on her.

"I really wish I was in Hogsmeade right now," Charlie said wistfully.

"Why not?"

Charlie yelped in surprise when the Weasley twins emerged from behind a statue. "Don't scare me like that!”

“But it’s fun,” said Fred with a snicker.

“How long were you waiting there?”

“Just a few minutes. Ron said you were going to spend time with Big Lupin while the rest of us had a jolly old time in Hogsmeade.”

“Not you,” said Charlie with a raised brow. “How come you're not at Hogsmeade?"

"We've come to give you an early Christmas present," Fred said cheerfully. George removed an old piece of parchment from underneath his cloak and held it out.

Charlie accepted it with confusion. "Thanks. Um...what is it?"

"It’s how we manage to pull all our pranks without getting caught in the action,” said George with a wide grin. “We don’t need it anymore. We've memorized it inside and out.”

"Just touch your wand to the parchment and say, ' _I solemnly swear I am up to no good’,_ ” instructed Fred.

Charlie obeyed and was astounded when inky black lines curled over the parchment, expanding until it showed a full map of Hogwarts, complete with secret passages and dots that represented where everyone in the castle was, teachers and students alike.

"Wow! Where did you get this?"

"Fred and I were in Filch’s office in our first year. He left us when Peeves was causing a ruckus.” Fred shook his head sadly. “Poor bloke didn’t know any better at the time. We found a drawer titled Highly Dangerous and of course we investigated.”

“It took a while to figure out how it worked, but we managed it in the end,” said George cheerfully. “The map was very helpful. It gave us clues.”

"Who are the Marauders?" Charlie asked, gesturing towards the green ink at the top of the map that displayed the names of the creators. Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were odd choices for codenames.

"We don't know," Fred sighed. "I wish we could have met them, though. This map is brilliant!"

"Anyway, there are seven passages in total that lead to Hogsmeade. These four are the ones Filch knows about, so of course he boarded them up,” George explained, indicting each one as he spoke. “This one is caved in. I wouldn't use this one; the Whomping Willow is planted directly over it. But this leads into the cellar of Honeydukes.”

"Make sure you wipe the map when you're finished with it. Just tap it with your wand and say _'mischief managed'_ ," Fred advised.

"Your Christmas present to a Ravenclaw is a map to help her break the rules," Charlie clarified.

"We're hoping to corrupt you. Is it working?" Fred asked hopefully.

Charlie stared at the map for a moment. The desire to go to Hogsmeade with her friends was strong. She bit her bottom lip, having an internal debate. All Flitwick said was that he didn’t want her wandering around after dark, and it was currently daylight. Mr. Weasley had asked her not to go looking for Sirius Black, and she had no intentions of doing so. Nobody really explicitly forbade her from going to Hogsmeade.

_If the Sorting Hat could hear your poor Slytherin logic, it would probably be appalled for ever thinking you’d make a great Snake._

"Yes, it has," she said with a smile. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank us,” said Fred with a wide grin. “Just use it to its fullest potential.”

They clapped her on the shoulder as they left. Charlie studied the map before taking a deep breath and going to her common room. She grabbed her Invisibility Cloak and slipped it over her body. She followed the map and found herself standing in front of one-eyed witch statue.

"I can't believe I'm doing this,” she whispered.

She hesitantly pushed the statue, but it didn’t move. Her eyes flicked down to the map to see her tiny figure speaking a password and tapping the statue with her wand. Bewildered, Charlie copied the actions and the hump of the witch moved, creating a hole for her to climb into.

_This thing is genius._

She dropped down and gave a yip as she was carried down a slide. She tumbled to the ground, her Cloak falling off. She quickly seized it and shrugged it back on. She lifted her wand and whispered, “ _Lumos!_ ”

Her wand tip lit and Charlie stared down the narrow earthy passage. She wiped the map clean and slipped it back in her robes before starting her trek. It seemed to take forever before she finally stumbled out of a trap door, panting heavily and her feet aching. She looked around the cellar and felt her heartbeat pickup.

_I am going to be in so much trouble if I get caught._

But the desire to have fun with her friends overrode her conscience. She approached the cellar door and cautiously inched it open. When she was sure there was no one in her way, she stepped fully into Honeydukes and was immediately greeted with sugary smells.

A wide grin spread across her face as she looked around the store. Bright packaging filled the shelves and Hogwarts students milled about, talking and laughing. She spotted the twins rummaging through a bin of Ice Mice and approached them.

“You did not tell me that passageway took forever,” she said as she took off her Cloak, bundling it under her robes.

George beamed. “You made it!”

"Some pain must be endured for the greater things," Fred replied. "Isn't it worth it?"

"At the moment, yes.”

"My brother is over there with Hermione and Harry, in case you missed them." Fred pointed to the other side of the store where her friends were browsing the shelves. “Have fun!”

“I will. Thanks again!”

Charlie went up to her friends, who were discussing what treats to bring back for her. "She loves Chocolate Frogs,” mused Hermione.

“Yeah, but she eats them all the time,” said Harry with a frown. “What about something different?”

"How about one of those blood-flavoured lollipops?" Ron suggested.

"That can’t be a thing,” said Charlie in horror.

Her friends whirled around and gasped when they saw her. "What are you doing here?" Hermione cried.

Charlie told them about the twins giving her the Marauder's Map and what it could do. Ron scowled. "How come they never told me about it? Honestly!"

"You shouldn't be here!" Hermione wailed. "And you should hand that map in to Professor Flitwick or Professor Dumbledore! What if Sirius Black is using one of the passages to get into the school?"

"Well, this is the only one he’d be able to use,” said Charlie. “Fred and George told me Filch closed the four he knew about, and the Whomping Willow blocks one, and the other one is caved in.”

Ron pointed to a sign hanging on the door, informing those who read it that Dementors patrolled the village past nightfall. "We're in the clear, Hermione!"

"Come on, Hermione." Harry grinned. "Black wouldn't even think of attacking here. There are far too many people—even for him!"

“He killed thirteen people,” said Hermione crossly. “I doubt he’ll care about two hundred more.” But her friends were staring pleadingly at her and she sighed. “Fine! But I hope you understand what risks you’re taking.”

“I know it’s stupid, but I just need a break,” said Charlie.

“Of course you do,” said Ron with a nod. “Come on, let’s buy some sweets!”

Hermione handed Charlie her Christmas shopping list and her money and they browsed the shelves. Charlie mentally checked off her Christmas list and was delighted when she found a store that sold a variety of socks.

“Dobby will love these!”

"Won't you set him free by giving him clothes?" asked Ron curiously.

“We don't exactly have a traditional relationship. Besides, it’s a gift.”

She found some socks and paid for them. They entered the chilly winter landscape and Harry pointed towards the Three Broomsticks. “They sell Butterbeer,” he informed. “I don’t know about you guys, but I want one.”

“Let’s go,” said Ron with a grin.

They entered the pub and Ron went to collect their drinks. The other three grabbed a booth in the very back and Harry sighed as warmth engulfed him. “This is great.”

"I love it here,” Charlie said happily.

Ron came over with four tankards of frothy Butterbeer. As they drank, they made idle chatter. The door chimed as it opened and each time Charlie instinctively looked over her shoulder to see who was entering. On the tenth ring she nearly choked on her Butterbeer.

Hagrid, Flitwick, McGonagall and Cornelius Fudge entered the Three Broomsticks in a flurry of snow. They were deep in conversation and were also moving in their direction.

“Oh Merlin,” breathed Harry, also noticing.

"Evasive manoeuvre!" Charlie hissed.

Hermione shot a glance at the group of adults as she levitated a large Christmas tree to block them from view. They held their breath as they walked by without a word, sitting the next booth. Charlie let out a silent sigh of relief.

"Good thinking," Harry whispered.

Hermione pressed a finger to her lips.

"Minister Fudge, it's good to see you," a woman's voice said.

"Hello, Rosmerta. Why don't you join us?" Fudge invited.

"Thank you! I’d be happy to," Rosmerta answered. There was rustling as she settled down against the material of the booth. "What brings you here?"

"Sirius Black, of course. I'm sure you heard what happened at Hogwarts on Halloween. I'm certain he's still in the area."

Hermione shot Charlie a frightened glance.

"I still can’t believe Sirius Black would have ever gone to the Dark side," Rosmerta sighed. "I remember when he was at Hogwarts. He was the most charming boy I’d ever met. A little devil, mind you, but it was mostly harmless fun. I never thought he could be capable of murdering all those people.”

"And to think, that is not even the highest point of his cruelty," Fudge said gravely.

"What do you mean?" Rosmerta asked.

"Do you know how James and Lily died?" McGonagall questioned softly.

“Only bits and pieces,” admitted Rosmerta. “It’s really just myths and rumours I’ve heard, and I put no stock in those.”

“You remember who James’ best friend was?”

"Of course I do! I used to have them in here all the time. They made me laugh, Sirius Black and James Potter."

Charlie pressed her fingers against her mouth to keep herself from gasping in surprise. _Oh, I am not going to like how this story is going to go._

"Their gang was known for wreaking havoc around the castle," Flitwick recalled fondly. "Black and Potter were the ringleaders, of course. The two of them were inseparable."

"They trusted their lives to each other," McGonagall said bitterly. "Black was the best man when James married Lily and he was named Charlotte's godfather.”

Rosmerta was stricken. “She doesn’t know?”

“O’ course not!” said Hagrid strongly.

“She already has to deal with the fact he wants to kill her,” said Flitwick grimly. “That would be far too much.”

"Dumbledore knew You-Know-Who was going after the Potters,” said Fudge heavily. “The man seemed to know exactly where You-Know-Who would strike and when, but sometimes we never acted quickly enough. Anyway, Dumbledore warned the Potters and suggested they use the Fidelius Charm."

"What's that?" Rosmerta asked curiously.

"The Fidelius Charm is a complex and powerful charm that takes a specific piece of information, which would be the secret, and implants it into a being's soul. The one whose soul houses the secret is known as the Secret-Keeper. The only way anyone could know where the Potters would be hiding was if the Secret-Keeper himself divulged it to You-Know-Who. You cannot gain the information any other way," Flitwick explained.

"Of course, James chose Black to be their Secret-Keeper," McGonagall said. "But Dumbledore was worried about this. He offered to be the Secret-Keeper instead but James trusted Black more than anyone else."

"Dumbledore knew Black would betray them?" Rosmerta asked in awe.

"The man knew something was wrong. He suspected someone close to James was revealing information to You-Know-Who. And he was right. Barely a week after the charm was put into place did Black betray the location to You-Know-Who and the Potters were attacked,” said McGonagall sadly. “When he discovered Charlotte Potter defeated him, Black went into a rage. We're all very lucky Hagrid got to Charlotte before he did."

“He was holdin’ her,” said Hagrid shakily. "He actually tried teh take Charlie away! Offered teh take her in! I never knew he was their Secret-Keeper an' he was in a right state. I comforted him! An' all that time he was tryin' teh find a way teh kill Charlie!"

He broke into sobs and McGonagall said sternly, "Calm down, Hagrid! None of us could have known what Black would do."

"I never knew why he gave up his beloved motorbike that night. Now I know it was 'cause the bike was teh easy teh trace!" Hagrid slammed his fist onto the table.

"Well, it's a good thing the Ministry caught up with Black the next day," Rosmerta said optimistically.

"Yes, but it's a shame we didn't get there in time," Fudge sighed. "Peter Pettigrew got there first. He was a part of Potter's gang. He followed them around like a little puppy. He adored James and Black. He must have been devastated when he found out Black betrayed Lily and James. He cornered him in the public square.”

"Foolish boy!" McGonagall said thickly. "He was hopeless at duelling. I always pushed him so hard."

"He died a hero's death," Fudge said kindly. "Of course, he did this in front of Muggles and we had to wipe the memories of those who survived. He went for his wand but Black beat him to it. The only thing left of Peter was his finger."

"Do you think Black will try to rejoin his master?" Rosmerta questioned.

"I believe that's his eventual plan. But it’s clear he has his sights on Charlotte Potter.”

“He won’t get his hands on her,” said McGonagall fiercely.

“We won’t allow it!” said Flitwick shakily.

“I’ll face Black myself if I have teh,” said Hagrid thickly.

They fell into chatter that was nonconsequential as far as Charlie was concerned. She sat still, shock coursing through her veins and tears spilling down her cheeks. Ron grabbed her hand, his expression scared and distressed. Harry ducked his head down, his shoulders trembling.

It seemed to be forever before the group left, leaving the kids alone once more in the corner. Hermione leaned forwards and asked anxiously, “Charlie, I—I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry. It’s horrible.”

“He’s my godfather,” she breathed. “And he’s the reason my dad, his best friend, and my mom are dead.”

_He’s my godfather. And he’s trying to kill me._


	8. More Bad News

The moment she felt it was safe to leave the pub without running into the adults, Charlie took off. She swung her Invisibility Cloak over her body and hurried into Honeydukes. Through her blurred vision she managed not to bump into anyone as she went for the cellar door. Once she was in the passage she sprinted, her lungs burning and her heart racing. She did not remove her Cloak until she was in her common room.

_Why me? Why my parents? Why did he betray them to Voldemort?_

She wiped her tears away as a thought struck her. She went to her dorm and rummaged frantically in her trunk. "I know it's in here somewhere.”

She found the photo album Hagrid had given her in her first year and started flipping frantically through the pages. Her fingers froze on the page that contained her parents' wedding photos.

There he was.

His face was fuller and not so frightening when he was laughing. The long, tangled hair he bore in his mug shot was much shorter in the recreational picture, but there was no denying that the man standing beside her father was Sirius Black.

She buried her face into her hands and sat on the floor, the album laying beside her. This was the position Hermione found her in when she raced into the dorm, red-faced and panting. “Charlie,” she breathed. She knelt next to her friend and pulled her into a hug.

"It's horrible!" Charlie said, the anger coming fast and fierce. "He was their best friend and he left them to be killed! He killed my father, my mother, Peter Pettigrew and all those Muggles! Now he’s trying to kill me! _He’s supposed to be my godfather!_ ”

The rage crackled and Hermione jumped as the trunks in their dorm exploded, sending possessions scattering across the room. She increased her hold and said, "He's cruel and nasty and despicable. But please, Charlie, don’t go looking for him!”

Charlie would not admit out loud that the idea was tempting to her. She was the perfect bait.

"Hermione, do you know what my life could have been like if he hadn't betrayed my parents?” she said, feeling all her energy drain from her body. “I wouldn't have needed to live with the Dursleys. I would have been raised in a loving household. I would have learned about the wizarding world way before I was eleven. I wouldn't hear Voldemort murdering my mother every time the Dementors come near me.”

“If it weren’t for your parents, Voldemort might still be here," said Hermione quietly.

"We don't know that for sure," Charlie protested.

"You were the one who defeated him. If Black had kept your secret, Voldemort would have slaughtered so many people in his search. You would hardly be able to leave your house. Who knows if someone would have managed to kill him?"

Charlie blinked back tears. "But it's not fair! My parents died and Voldemort is still going to come back. He’s still out there, somewhere, waiting for his opportunity. What did they die for?"

"You," Hermione whispered softly. "You said that your mother's love is one of your greatest protections. She died in your place so that you could have a chance at life. A chance to do well and live. The first ten years may have been awful, but look where you are now! You’ve given people hope for thirteen years. To go off and look for Black would be foolish and undo everything your parents and Dumbledore have done for you."

“I’m not going to go after him,” said Charlie tiredly. She was silent for a moment before saying bitterly, “He's the reason Harry was taken away from me.”

"I know. But you’re together now. You have the rest of your lives to make up for ten years.”

“Yeah.”

“Try not to be upset with the professors and Minister Fudge. They had their reasons for not telling you.”

"Probably the same reasons Dumbledore and Remus have for not telling Harry and I that we're siblings," Charlie grumbled. "You know, I'm starting to dislike their reasons." She gave a long, exhausted sigh. “Will you help me clean up the mess I made?”

“Of course.”

...

"You look terrible, mate."

"Not as bad as Harry does!" Charlie retorted.

The Golden Quartet were in the library, proofreading through one another’s work. Harry frowned up at Charlie, dark circles under his eyes.

“I have something to tell you," Harry set aside his quill and lifted up his glasses so he could rub his eyes. "You know how Sirius Black was our father's best friend?"

Charlie nodded. "Kind of hard to forget that."

"Uncle Remus said he was a close friend to my parents. And since my parents are your parents too, that means—"

"Professor Lupin was close friends with Sirius Black as well!" Hermione finished with wide eyes. "That explains why Professor Snape is so suspicious of your uncle. Charlie, didn't you say Professor Snape hated you to begin with because he hated your father?"

"Yeah. I'm guessing all four of them were rivals with Professor Snape when they were in school,” said Charlie slowly. “I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t even think—this is just as hard on you.”

“It definitely sucks,” said Harry softly. “I could never imagine doing that to you guys. How could he even call himself a best friend?”

“He can’t,” said Ron furiously.

They continued to work mostly in silence until Remus came into the library. Harry looked at him in surprise. “Is it time already?”

“It is.”

“Sorry—I meant to meet you—”

“Don’t worry about it, pup,” said Remus with a smile, running his fingers through Harry’s hair. “I’m in no rush.”

Harry packed up his supplies and handed Hermione her assignments, which he had been reviewing. “It’s great at always, Hermione.”

“Are you sure?” asked Hermione anxiously.

“Positive.”

They exchanged a round of hugs. “Have a great Christmas, Harry,” said Charlie, embracing him tightly.

“I will. Don’t have too much fun without me.”

“Impossible,” claimed Ron. “I’m with them.”

Remus grinned at the glares the two girls sent the redhead. “Happy Christmas, you lot.”

They waved after the pair as they left the library. When they were gone Ron grabbed his supplies and shoved them into his bag. “Harry is gone which means the Christmas holiday has officially started. What do you want to do?”

“We could visit Hagrid,” suggested Charlie.

“All right,” said Hermione.

They arranged to meet Ron in the Entrance Hall and they went to their dorms to put away their stuff. The trio trudged through the heavy white powder towards the hut and Charlie’s eyes trailed the pawprints winding through the snow.

_I really hope Fang made those._

“You won’t mention anything to Hagrid, right?” pressed Hermione.

“What? Oh. No, Hermione. I won’t.”

"Why would she?” asked Ron in bewilderment. “She’d just be landing herself in trouble.”

They reached the hut and Hermione rapped on the door. Hagrid opened it a minute later, his face streaked with tears. “What’s wrong?” asked Charlie urgently.

They filed into Hagrid’s home and the man collapsed into a chair. He silently handed them a letter and the three read it carefully.

It detailed that while the Ministry believed that Hagrid was not responsible for the incident, they had decided to continue investigating the complaint filed by Lucius Malfoy in regards to Buckbeak. A hearing would be held in April, and until then, Buckbeak needed to be contained and isolated.

“What complaint?” roared Ron. “Malfoy barely got touched! There is no complaint!"

Charlie peered out the window and frowned sadly at Buckbeak, who was alone and tied next to the pumpkin patch. "Don't worry Hagrid, we'll help you out."

"Bu' Lucius Malfoy has the Committee wrapped around his finger!" Hagrid wailed. "Buckbeak doesn' stand a chance. If he loses…" He wasn’t able to get out the words and demonstrated by slicing a finger across his throat.

"We’ll just have to make sure you won’t lose,” said Charlie strongly. “Ron will probably be called in, since he was the student who was attacked."

"You know I'll defend you and Buckbeak, Hagrid!" Ron said earnestly.

"I'm sure there are some cases on Hippogriffs I can look up in the library!" Hermione exclaimed. "We can prepare notes and everything for you, Hagrid."

Hagrid wiped his red-rimmed eyes. "Thank yeh...can' go teh pieces now. It's jus' a lot teh take in, with Sirius Black roamin' round the castle, Buckbeak, an' no one likin’ me classes—"

"We like them very much!" Hermione quickly lied.

"Yes, I do enjoy the Flobberworms," Ron agreed. "How are they?"

"Dead, I'm afraid," Hagrid said forlornly. Charlie rolled her eyes as Ron struggled to hold back a laugh and elbowed him in the ribs. Hagrid continued on, not having seen Ron's amusement. "An' those Dementors...have teh walk pas' 'em whenever I wan' a drink from the Three Broomsticks. It’s jus’ like bein' in Azkaban again."

Charlie, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. Hagrid had been sent to Azkaban for a short time in their second year and hadn't ever talked about it. "Is it awful there, Hagrid?" Hermione finally asked.

"Terrible. Yeh live yer wors' memories over an' over again. The ruddy Dementors suck out all the happiness. I’ve bin thinkin' about jus' lettin' Buckbeak go. But I don' want teh go teh Azkaban again. Never again."

Charlie set a hand against his shoulder. “Everything will be fine, Hagrid.”

Azkaban wasn’t a place for people like Hagrid. The dark, depressing, cement cells should be reserved for those who committed the vilest of crimes—Sirius Black most of all.

...

"Have we any students in the castle for Christmas this year?" Dumbledore asked as he entered the staff room. His Heads of House were gathered around the wooden table, which held two pieces of parchment; both of them very short.

"Almost everyone has chosen to go home," Sprout informed him. 

"I don't blame them," McGonagall sighed. "With Sir Cadogan as guard to Gryffindor Tower my Lions probably want a vacation away from him. He's completely mad! When will the Fat Lady return?"

"Minerva, my dear, if you narrowly avoided being slashed to bits you would be reluctant to return as well," Dumbledore said tiredly. With needing to handle the Dementors and keeping an eye on Charlotte, he was getting much less sleep than normal. "You said ‘almost everyone’. Who are the few brave students that are staying?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Snape drawled.

"Only three students wanted to stay; Charlotte, Ronald and Hermione," Flitwick said.

"Harry would have stayed if Remus hadn't whisked him off to his own home," added Sprout.

Though he had already known Charlie, Ron and Hermione would be staying over the holidays, Dumbledore did not anticipate for them to be the only students in the castle. His brow furrowed with deep concern, for the three would be mostly alone and that did not sit well with him, especially considering that the students in question were three-fourths of the Golden Quartet. Black had already tried to break into Gryffindor Tower once and Dumbledore was not at all comforted by the fact that Ron would be by himself in the Tower during the night.

Then there was the matter of Charlotte. All Black needed to get into Ravenclaw Tower, should he realize his mistake, was a sharp intellect, which Dumbledore knew Black possessed.

McGonagall had known Dumbledore for many years, and knew by the pinch between his blue eyes that he was troubled. "I can stay with Weasley, and Granger and Potter can stay in the girl's dormitory if they'd like—"

"Or I could stay with the girls and make sure nothing happens," Flitwick offered.

"No," Dumbledore said. "I’m sure the children would not appreciate being monitored twenty-four/seven.”

“It doesn’t matter what they think,” said Snape in annoyance. “Perhaps keeping them under constant surveillance will ensure they stay out of trouble.”

“I think I might have a solution. Severus, if I may have a word?”

The other Heads of House took their cue and filed out of the staff room. Snape eyed Dumbledore warily, knowing he wasn’t going to like whatever the elderly wizard had to say. "Yes, Albus?"

"I know this is a lot to ask of you, but since you were going to go to Spinner's End for Christmas this year—"

"No."

"I haven't even finished my sentence!"

"You want to know if I can take the insufferable brats with me." Severus crossed his arms with a scowl. "I will not have a Gryffindor running rampant in my house. Why can't you keep watch over them? Better yet, why don't I stay here and assign them all a two-week detention?"

"This is a large castle, and I have my own jobs to do. Charlotte knows Sirius Black is after her—"

Snape’s gaze sharpened. “Who told her?”

“Filius and I thought it would be for the best, in the hopes of curbing her habit of wandering the castle during the night. What I did not know is that Arthur Weasley told Charlotte before she boarded the train. Or, should I say, he attempted to. She had overheard his discussion with Molly and was already aware. He mentioned it when he wrote his concerns about the children staying behind.”

"He’s worried they'll do something stupid and go after him," Severus said with narrowed eyes.

“He believes they might be tempted to investigate his location,” said Dumbledore carefully. “It is in their nature to be helpful and to protect others with little regard to their own wellbeing, Charlotte especially.”

It was not a farfetched scenario. After all, Potter had taken it upon herself to go after the Philosopher’s Stone and to take on the Basilisk. Her friends were not far behind when she ventured off towards danger.

“I cannot watch over them every second of every day, and neither can their Heads of House,” continued Dumbledore. “I believe they will be safest under consistent supervision and far away from Black.”

The idea of having the children in his home was highly unappealing. But so was the thought of Potter running headfirst into Black’s clutches, and if that happened, Lily would never forgive him for refusing what was a relatively simple task.

“Fine,” he said shortly. “I will inform them.”

“Thank you, Severus.” Dumbledore smiled. “Perhaps you will find they are rather remarkable children.”

“With all due respect, Albus, I don’t believe in Christmas miracles,” said Snape flatly.

...

The knowledge of Hagrid’s hearing and the reality that Buckbeak would lose his life if the hearing was lost caused Ron, Charlie and Hermione to return to the library. They poured through several books on trials and hearings on magical creatures. Ron decided to make some notes on what he might say if he was called to be a witness. They were so engrossed in their work that they didn’t notice Snape approach their table. He paused to regard them, at the intensity in their eyes as they flipped quickly through books and scribbled madly against parchment.

The quiet atmosphere was broken as Crookshanks streaked by Snape. Ron took one look at the cat, his gaze zeroing in on his fleeing rat, and he let out a furious shout. He dove to the floor, his hands folding protectively over Scabbers, and Crookshanks angrily clawed at his skin.

“Hermione! Your stupid cat!”

“Crookshanks is not stupid!” Hermione took hold of her pet and lifted him into his arms. “No, Crookshanks, you can’t hurt Ron’s rat!”

Pince swept around the corner, eyes flashing, but came to a halt when Snape raised a hand, indicating he would handle the situation.

Ron scrambled to his feet, his skin littered with red scratches, and glowered at Hermione. "I thought you were keeping that monster locked up!"

"Crookshanks can't stay in the dorm forever!" Hermione protested. "He needs to be let out. I thought Scabbers was in your own dorm."

"He was! I left him there because it’s too cold in the corridors for him. Your cat must have gotten into Gryffindor Tower and spooked him."

"That's ridiculous."

Ron thrust Scabbers out for Hermione to examine. "It is not! Look at him! He's skinnier and his fur is starting to fall out! The stress is getting to him and it’s all because of your cat!”

"Mr. Weasley, cats chase mice,” interjected Snape, and the three kids jumped, not prepared to hear his voice. “It's what they do. You cannot blame Miss Granger for what a cat's nature is."

Ron sent an annoyed glare at Hermione. “Yes, sir,” he muttered.

"Are you three aware that you are the only students left in the castle?" Snape inquired.

"We were wondering where everyone was," Charlie mused.

“Faulty observation aside, Dumbledore has ordered me to take you three to Spinner's End for the Christmas holidays so you don't cause any trouble.”

"Spinner's End?" Hermione asked curiously.

"My home, Miss Granger."

Charlie frowned. “You don’t have to do that. We won’t cause trouble.”

“I find that very difficult to believe,” drawled Snape. “In any case, there is no choice in the matter. I expect you in my office in an hour. Do not be late.”

Snape waited for their acknowledgement before sweeping out of the library. Ron groaned. “Christmas with Snape. I can’t believe this.”

“I'm sure it won't be as bad as you're imagining it to be,” said Hermione with a roll of her eyes.

“We’ll see,” he muttered. He sent Hermione a frown as he added, “I’m taking Scabbers with me.”

Hermione pressed her lips together and nodded stiffly. With Crookshanks under one arm she collected the books she had been reading and went to put them back on the shelves. Charlie shook her head at Ron. "It's not her fault."

"Well, she bought that cat, so I fault her for that."

When they cleaned up their work area they went to their dorms to pack. Ron took up most of the hour allotment, having no clue what to bring with him to amuse himself for two weeks and wishing he had left with his brothers and Ginny.

They arrived in Snape’s office on time and the Potions Master gave a nod of approval. He held out a vase full of Floo powder and said, “I assume you all know how to use the Floo.” He noticed Charlie stare at the fireplace with apprehension. “Is there a problem, Miss Potter?”

“No,” she said quickly. There was no need for him to know she’d only used the Floo twice and had a fifty percent success rate.

One by one they dragged their trunks up to the fireplace and took some Floo powder. When it was Charlie’s turn, she took a breath before tossing the powder into the flames, turning them a bright green. She braced herself for the soot and said, "Spinner's End!"

It was strong and clear and Charlie felt a swell of relief as she was whisked away. She would hate to have explain to a random family why she tumbled out of their fireplace.


	9. Christmas at Spinner's End

When Ron came out of the fireplace, he found himself in a small living room. He moved slowly around the space, taking in everything with an open mouth. He had never pictured the home in which Snape lived, but this wasn’t what he was expecting. It was too normal.

"You'll catch flies if you keep your mouth open like that," Hermione chided.

Ron snapped his mouth shut. “It’s…dark.”

“It is,” admitted Hermione. Snape’s choice in furniture and paint was rather dull and lacked significant colour. The only spot of brightness were the curtains, which were red.

Charlie came rolling onto the black mat by the brick fireplace. "I hate Floo travel," she complained as she got to her feet.

“At least you didn’t end up in Knockturn Alley,” snickered Ron.

“Let’s not mention that to Professor Snape,” said Charlie with a wince. “I don’t think he’d be too pleased I kept that from him.”

Snape emerged out of the emerald flames and Charlie found herself straightening under his scrutiny. "Before I show you to your rooms, I am going to make a few things very clear. You will _not_ go into my personal quarters, you will _not_ go into my private lab and you will _not_ leave this property. If any of these rules are broken the consequences will be dire. Understood?"

“Yes, sir!” they chorused.

Snape directed them upstairs and down the dimly-lit hallway. Ron received the first guest room and he ventured inside, dragging his trunk behind him. He used his foot to shut the door behind him and dropped onto the bed. The walls were bare and the only other pieces of furniture inhabiting the space were a wardrobe and a bedside table.

Snape clearly had a favoured colour scheme—red, grey and black. His sheets and pillows were grey and the bed hangings were a deep red. Ron frowned in distaste. “What does he have against orange?” he muttered.

Footsteps hurried towards his door and Ron panicked. He had absolutely no idea what other rules applied to living with Snape and he hastily kicked his shoes off. His mother didn’t care if they had shoes on their beds, but if they made a mess on their sheets, they had to clean them up.

_I need more information!_

Charlie pushed the door open and peered inside. "Are you still alive?" she teased as she and Hermione entered the room.

"Barely,” muttered Ron.

"You need to relax. Just follow his rules and you'll be fine."

"But what about shoes on the bed, or elbows on the table?" Ron persisted. "He didn't elaborate enough."

"Oh, big word." Hermione grinned when Ron glared at her.

Charlie laughed. "Professor Snape told us we could go outside until dinner time. Do you want to come with us?"

Ron pursed his lips. "Sure, but what's for dinner? Bat wings and blood?"

“Very funny,” said Charlie with a roll of her eyes.

They went down the stairs and it took a minute before they found Snape. He was in a tiny sitting room, the walls lined with bookshelves. Hermione eyed the books with interest as Charlie ventured, “Professor? We’re going outside.”

Snape’s gaze lifted to meet hers. “Very well. If you see anything suspicious, I expect you to come inside immediately.”

“Yes, Professor.”

They pulled on their winter accessories and filed outside. Ron glanced up and down the street, studying the row of run-down brick houses. “Not exactly a nice neighbourhood, is it?”

“Ron, don’t be rude!” snapped Hermione.

“I’m just saying I wouldn’t want to walk these streets at night.”

“That’s because a murderer is on the loose,” said Charlie with a snort.

“Not here,” said Ron. “He doesn’t know we left the castle. _I_ don’t even know where we are.”

“We’re at Spinner’s End,” said Hermione with a straight face.

“Very clever,” sneered Ron.

“Are we going to play or what?” asked Charlie.

Ron grabbed a handful of snow and flung it at the girl, who spluttered in surprise. “Yup!” he said with a laugh.

The three played well until dusk. They built snowmen, had a snowball fight and built a snow fort. When Snape came to collect them, they were dripping and shivering. "You all look like something the cat dragged in." He flicked his wand and they felt like they were being bathed in warmth. "Put your wet clothes by the fire. It’s time for dinner."

Ron was last in hanging up his coat and mittens before going to the dining room. There was a platter of spaghetti in the middle of the table along with a pitcher of pumpkin juice.

"You look like something is going to jump out and bite you at any moment," Hermione whispered to him as she grabbed a piece of garlic bread.

Ron ignored her and started to spoon some spaghetti onto his plate. When he deemed his portion large enough, he promptly tucked in.

"We can't take him anywhere," Charlie muttered.

"Chew, Ronald!" Hermione hissed. "I don't know the Heimlich manoeuvre yet."

Snape watched with an unreadable expression as Ron polished off his plate and went for seconds. _Weasleys._

Charlie rolled her eyes. "I'm glad I'm not in Gryffindor, or else I would never get to eat."

...

It was midnight when Charlie finally decided that she wasn't going to get any sleep. Irritated, she climbed out of bed and shuffled down the hardwood floors. Years of sneaking around the Dursley household allowed her to be quiet and stealthy. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of milk. She sat at the table, her chin resting against her knuckles.

Perhaps Dumbledore had been right to send her away for the holidays. At least now she wouldn’t be tempted to roam the castle in her restlessness.

"Miss Potter, may I ask why you are not in bed where you belong?"

Charlie snapped her head around to see Snape standing in the doorway. "Couldn't sleep. I keep thinking a vampire will jump out of the closet," she said with a straight face.

"Keep up that cheek and I'll take fifty points away from Ravenclaw when we get back to the castle," he threatened.

"Sorry, sir."

Snape went over to his kettle and tapped it with his wand. As it started to heat up, he turned to study the girl. “What’s plaguing your mind?”

Charlie took a drink of milk, staring absent-mindedly at the wall. “Everything, I suppose.”

“Black will not be able to reach you here.”

"I’m not really worried about him,” said Charlie honestly. She’d had months to come to terms with the fact he wanted her dead. It was the newest piece of information she learned about him that disturbed her. But she couldn’t tell Snape that.

“That’s why Dumbledore was insistent you be under strict supervision,” said Snape with a frown.

“It’s hard to be frightened of him when I have the Dementors to contend with.”

“They are far away from you. I was also under the impression Lupin was going to be teaching you how to defend yourself against them.”

There was bitterness in his voice as he mentioned Remus but Charlie ignored it. “Yeah, he is. Hopefully it’ll help.”

There was a haunted expression on her face that made her look far older than her thirteen years. “I am sorry,” said Snape softly. “It is an awful thing, to have to relive the murder of your mother.”

His voice was neutral and his face was blank. Yet Charlie tilted her head to the side, her green eyes thoughtful, and she asked, “Did you know my mother?”

“Is there a reason why you think I should know her?” returned Snape calmly.

"Well, you know my aunt, for one. And I think you would have been the same age as her when she went to Hogwarts. If Mum were still alive, she would have been in her thirties. Like you.”

The kettle whistled and Snape gave it a tap to turn it off. “Very perceptive of you. Do you know much about your mother’s school days?”

“No. Aunt Petunia refuses to talk about Mum, let alone the fact she was a witch. But I managed to get some details from her over the years,” said Charlie. “Mum’s birthday was one of them. I know so little about her that what I do know just sticks with me.”

The fury, as it often did when Snape thought of the Dursleys, surged. “Yes. You are correct. I knew your mother. We were acquaintances when we were younger.”

“Even though she was Gryffindor and you were Slytherin?” asked Charlie in interest.

_Perceptive indeed. Much like her mother._

“Yes.”

Charlie wondered why Snape had been able to get along with a Muggle-born Gryffindor, but not her pure-blood father. She knew better than to press the matter and she said hopefully, “Do you think you could tell me what she was like? When she was in school?"

“I think any number of professors would be able to answer that question for you, Miss Potter.”

“I don’t want to hear stories from a teacher’s point of view. I want to hear stories about her from a friend.” When Snape opened his mouth, she knew what he was going to say and quickly corrected herself. “Acquaintance.”

Snape was about to decline her request, but bright green eyes stared imploringly at him. It was pathetic, really, how she had to resort to him for childhood stories about her mother. That was something Lily’s own sister should have provided. But that, of course, was far too much to ask.

“She was kind,” he said at last, taking his tea and sitting across from her. “She was loyal and friendly. She defended all who needed it. I felt sorry for those who crossed her. She was known for her temper and was quite skilled in casting hexes.”

"Doesn’t really sound like me at all,” Charlie said.

She tried to smile but there was disappointment in her eyes, eyes that were identical to Lily’s. Snape shook his head. “You didn’t inherit her temper, but you have her kindness, her cleverness and her heart.”

Charlie brightened. To know that she truly did exhibit some of her mother’s traits was important to her. “Thank you. Did she ever hex you?”

“I’m not going to answer that.” Snape stood up, his cup of tea in hand. “When you’re finished, I expect you to return to bed.”

He left the kitchen and Charlie grinned after him. _Yeah, she totally hexed him._

...

The week passed by with surprising quickness. On Christmas Eve the kids went downstairs to find that Snape had magicked a spruce tree in the corner of his living room. There was a box with strands of blinking white lights and golden baubles and Snape was conveniently nowhere in sight. They cheerfully decorated the spruce and when they finished it practically transformed the room with festivity. On Christmas morning Charlie instinctively peeked over the end of the bed. There were two piles of packages and she beamed, grabbing her pillow and flinging it at Hermione.

It collided with her head and she gave a sleepy grumble of surprise. “What?” she asked with yawn.

“Happy Christmas!” said Charlie happily.

“Happy Christmas!”

“Come on, let’s get Ron.”

The two girls crossed the hall. Before Charlie could knock on Ron’s door it was thrown open, startling them back a few steps. “Happy Christmas!” said Ron eagerly. “Let’s open our presents.”

“Let’s do it by the tree,” suggested Hermione.

Charlie, who had never in her life properly opened Christmas presents by the Christmas tree, was delighted by the idea. “I’d love that!”

“I’ll meet you downstairs,” said Ron, and in the next second slammed the door in their faces.

“No manners,” said Hermione with a huff.

They returned to their room to comb out their hair and change out of their pajamas. Charlie knelt down and went to grab her presents. As she straightened, her vision slightly obscured, her foot knocked against something thin and solid. She tried to reach for it, but had to quickly readjust herself to avoid an avalanche of packages.

_I’ll come back for it later._

“Ready!” said Hermione, her chin pressed against the top of her own pile to keep it secure in her arms.

They trooped downstairs and set their packages near the base of the glittering tree. Ron joined them several seconds later and dumped his presents to the floor. “Ready?”

“What are you doing?”

The three whirled around to see Snape staring at them from the doorway. “We’re opening presents,” said Charlie brightly.

Ron seemed like he was going to vibrate right out of his body. “Fine,” said Snape with a nod. “I expect you to clean up your mess.”

The children wasted no time in tackling their presents. The first gift Ron unwrapped was his annual Weasley jumper. He shrugged it on with a resigned expression, the tips of his ears turning red as he caught sight of Snape’s smirk. His brother Charlie sent him a glass dragon figurine and Bill gave him a gold coin from Egypt. Ginny’s gift to him was a Quidditch book and Percy had sent the three of them gold-coloured quills that shimmered. The twins sent them all jokes kits, which Snape immediately ordered to be placed in his possession until their return to the castle. Ron immediately tore open the bag of sweets Harry sent them, shoving them into his mouth.

“Thanks Hermione!” said Ron thickly, admiring his new bookbag.

“You’re welcome! Thanks for the organizer!”

“’Course. Let me know when you fill it up. I might need to look at it once in a while.”

Charlie’s eyes sparkled as she held up a new set of blue and bronze Quidditch robes. “Wow, Ron! Thanks!”

“Well, it was my idea, but Mum made them. Thanks for the Gobstones. My old set was getting kind of gunky.”

“These rainbow quills are lovely, Charlie!” Hermione exclaimed, watching the colours glitter in the light.

“I thought you’d like them. Thanks for the Quidditch magazines.”

Charlie also received a jumper from Mrs. Weasley and she cheerfully put it on. There was one package left and Charlie snagged it, bringing it over to the observing Snape. He stared at it for a moment before slowly taking it into his hands.

“It’s from all of us,” said Charlie, gesturing between herself and her friends. “It’s a thank-you. For being hospitable to us.”

“I do not possess an owl,” said Snape in a slow, measured voice. “How, exactly, did you manage to procure this without leaving this house?”

“We ordered it while we were still at Hogwarts,” said Hermione quickly. “We thought it was only right to get you a Christmas present since you’re sharing your home and making sure we’re protected. We did only have an hour to think of something and send the order off by owl, so I hope it’s okay.”

Hiding his surprise and bewilderment, Snape carefully pulled off the brown paper to reveal a gleaming set of brand-new scales and beakers. “It is satisfactory,” he said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” said Charlie.

The three collected the discarded wrapping to throw in the trash. They grabbed their presents and went upstairs, chattering animatedly as they went. Snape watched after them, particularly the way Charlie’s green eyes shone, and he could not help but give a soft smile.

“I don’t know why he thought we snuck out,” said Ron as they stepped into the upstairs hall. “Not like we’d know where to go.”

“That hasn’t exactly stopped us before,” said Charlie feelingly.

Ron couldn’t argue that, so he settled for a shrug. “Do you want to play Gobstones?”

Hermione nodded and Charlie said, “I’ll be with you in a second. I have to give Dobby his present. I can take your things, Hermione.”

Charlie lugged the items to their shared room and let them tumble onto the bed. Her eyes fell upon a lone package sitting on the floor, the one she hadn’t been able to carry. It was long and thin and Charlie furrowed her brow. “Huh. Wonder who that’s from.”

Wanting to give Dobby his present first, she pulled it out of her trunk and called for him. Dobby appeared, bells adorning his pillowcase, and he said, “Happy Christmas, Miss!”

“Happy Christmas, Dobby!” She extended the package. “This is for you.”

Dobby took it, tears filling his large eyes. “Thank you, Miss!” He eagerly tore off the wrapping and gasped in delight at the colourful socks. “Miss is so kind! Dobby loves them!”

“I’m glad,” said Charlie, kneeling down to give him a hug. “How’s Hogwarts? It must weird with it being so empty.”

“It’s been very quiet, but there is plenty to clean. The house-elves are having a party and it is very merry.”

Charlie grinned. “Sounds like fun.”

They chatted for a bit before Dobby returned Hogwarts. Charlie set her attention on the mysterious present and took off the wrapping. She froze at the gleaming broomstick she unearthed, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing.

_No way._

She dropped the brand-new broom to the floor and hurried across the hall. “I got a Firebolt!” she whispered excitedly.

“You’re joking!” said Ron with a scoff.

“I’m serious! Come look!”

They went back into her room and Ron gaped at the Firebolt. “No! Who sent it to you?”

“I don’t know. There’s no note with it.” Charlie picked it up, weighing it in her hands and admiring how it felt.

Hermione bit her lip. "We should give it to Professor Snape."

"What’s he going to do with a Firebolt?” asked Ron with a snort.

“No—you don’t understand. It could be from Sirius Black.”

Ron stared at her in disbelief. “You’re mad.”

“I’m not!”

“Hermione, a Firebolt cost hundreds of Galleons, at least,” said Charlie carefully. “There is no way Black was able to afford this.”

“Don’t you know the Blacks are on the list of sacred pure-blood families?” retorted Hermione. “They’re rich.”

“I sincerely doubt he has access to that fortune. The goblins at Gringotts aren’t very well going to let him in.”

“If he didn’t buy it with his own money, it’s possible he stole it,” said Hermione crossly. “He certainly wouldn’t have any qualms about doing so.”

“Hermione, it’s not from Black,” said Ron with a roll of his eyes. When Hermione gave a frustrated huff and stormed out, Ron said in bewilderment, “Sirius Black. Honestly. He’s not the type of bloke to plot out his murders. He just goes and does them.”

“That is a very unpleasant thought,” said Charlie flatly.

They fell silent when Hermione returned with Snape close behind. He took one look at the broomstick Charlie held and said sharply, “Put it down, _now_.”

Charlie flinched and obeyed. Ron sent Hermione a furious glare. Snape examined the Firebolt with narrowed eyes. “Miss Granger tells me you do not know who sent it.”

“I don’t,” Charlie admitted reluctantly.

“Where did you find it?”

“Here, by the end of my bed. It was with my other presents, but I didn’t have room to carry it with me downstairs.”

“I will be taking this.”

Ron gasped in horror. "But sir—!"

“Do not argue, Mr. Weasley." Snape seized the Firebolt and Charlie’s heart fell in dismay. "It might be harbouring a few hexes. I'll send it to Professor Flitwick. He'll be able to tell if this broom has been tampered with. Madam Hooch will help him, I'm sure."

“Yes, sir,” Charlie muttered.

Snape raised a brow at her despondent tone. “The best-case scenario, Miss Potter, is that there is nothing wrong with this broomstick and you will have it back. The worst-case scenario is that this broom is cursed and by disposing of it we save you from a horrendous death. I fail to see how either of those scenarios disappoint you.”

Charlie flushed with embarrassment. “Right. Sorry.”

Snape took the Firebolt away and the moment he was out of earshot Ron rounded on Hermione. "You little snitch! What's wrong with you?"

Hermione looked offended. "I told you, it might have been from Sirius Black!”

"How would he get a broom when the whole wizarding world is searching for him?" he cried.

"I don't know, but it's very possible that he did send it to Charlie!" Hermione said stubbornly.

Charlie sighed wearily. “I guess you have a point. But you get to tell Scarlet that I _had_ a Firebolt, and then I _lost_ it.”

She was unable to stop the heavy disappointment from coursing through her. It could take ages before she got it back, if she got it back at all.

_I wonder what it says about me that I’m willing to take a risk by riding a Firebolt that may have been sent to me by a mass murderer._


	10. Dementor Be Gone

Ron refused to speak a word to Hermione and Charlie was getting tired of making sure she was not talking to one more than the other. The tense atmosphere was difficult to miss and Snape became increasingly irritated by the redhead’s behaviour. He cornered the teen in the guest room one morning, radiating displeasure, and Ron eyed him warily.

“Sir?”

“I find the cause of your anger towards Miss Granger to be extremely asinine.”

Ron’s shoulders stiffened. “It’s a stupid reason. Why would Black send Charlie a broomstick that nice?”

“ _Because,_ Mr. Weasley, Black has no morals or ethics, and petty theft is child’s play compared to the travesty he committed,” said Snape frostily. “His failure in finding Miss Potter during his first attempt may have caused him to change tactics. Miss Granger was correct in bringing the Firebolt to my attention. You have no idea of the lengths Black will go to kill Miss Potter. It is immature to be angry with her over the loss of a broomstick when it may well save her life.”

Ron turned bright red. “Yes, sir.”

“Breakfast is ready. Collect your friends.”

Snape departed and Ron shuffled to the room the girls were staying in. He knocked on the door and opened it when Charlie called for him to come in. “Time for breakfast,” he mumbled. He glanced at Hermione, who moved rigidly in his presence. “I guess it was good that you told Snape about the Firebolt.”

This caught Hermione’s attention and her posture relaxed slightly. “You guess?” she repeated with a frown.

“Ron was really looking forward to seeing me thrown fifty feet in the air,” deadpanned Charlie.

Ron snorted. “Yeah, right.”

“Just think,” continued Charlie. “If the Firebolt is cursed and I don’t get it back, Gryffindor might have a chance at winning the Quidditch Cup.”

"Funny!" he retorted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Honestly, you two.”

They grinned at each other, their tiff forgotten, and Charlie didn’t have to be the buffer for the rest of the holidays, much to her relief. Snape brought them back to Hogwarts the day everyone else was due to arrive. Before they could depart from Snape’s office, he said with a note of severity in his tone, “To prevent any annoying inquiries and speculations, you will keep the events of your holidays quiet.”

“Yes, sir,” said Charlie, with her friends following suit.

Snape inclined his head. “Very well. You were oddly well behaved these past two weeks. I expect that conduct to continue.”

They nodded their assent and filed out of the office, trunks clunking behind them. “Why doesn’t he want us to tell others where we’ve been?” wondered Charlie in bewilderment.

“Probably doesn’t want his Snakes to know he let a Lion in his house,” said Ron with a roll of his eyes. “Mind you, I don’t want anyone finding out I spent the holidays with Snape. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Harry should be here soon,” spoke Hermione, glancing at her watch. “Do you want to meet outside once we put our things away?”

“Sure,” said Charlie.

“We’re going to tell Harry where we were, right?” asked Ron.

“Uh, sure, but don’t mention it to Professor Snape,” muttered Charlie.

Charlie and Hermione went to Ravenclaw Tower to drop their trunks off in their dorms. Charlie rubbed Snowy’s back when she came over to her. “Hey, Snowy. Sorry to leave you behind. I’m not entirely sure Professor Snape would have appreciated pets in his home.”

“Ron brought his,” pointed out Hermione, slightly bitter.

“Yeah, but Scabbers did not leave his pocket,” said Charlie patiently. “It was probably for the best. Ron needs to keep an eye on him. He really does look very ill.”

Hermione hesitated. “Yes, I suppose so.” She knelt down to rub Crookshanks’ cheeks vigorously. “I’m sorry you had to be cooped up in here,” she cooed. “I’ll let you out into the castle later, when mean old Ron is in his common room.”

They pulled on their winter hats, scarves and gloves and went to leave. Charlie kept her gaze on Crookshanks, who stalked behind them. She had to force the ginger cat back behind the door before it could fully shut.

They left the Tower and went through the corridors and stepped outside, the frigid January wind batting at their exposed skin. Ron joined them a few minutes later and they lounged on the stone steps, waiting for Harry’s arrival. Soon there was a flood of students swarming up to the castle, making trails in the snow with their feet and trunks.

"There he is!" Hermione cried out suddenly, waving her arms in the air as Harry and Remus pushed their way through the crowd.

"Hey, guys!” said Harry cheerfully.

“Hi, Harry!” Charlie said, wrapping him in a hug.

“How was your Christmas?” asked Hermione, embracing him when Charlie let go.

“It was great!”

“We had a lovely holiday,” agreed Remus, sending Harry a warm smile. “But I think he was more excited to get back to you lot than he was on Christmas morning.”

“Only slightly more excited,” said Harry with a grin.

“I’ll leave you alone, then. See you soon, pup.”

Remus went into the castle. Ron clapped Harry on the back before helping him lug his trunk up the rest of the steps. “You won’t believe where we spent our Christmas.”

Harry raised a brow. “Try me.”

Ron peered around before leaning close and saying in a whisper, “Snape’s.”

“No!” said Harry in horror. “Why?”

“We were the only students in the castle and for some reason they didn’t trust us to be unsupervised for most of the day,” replied Charlie.

“I can’t imagine why,” said Harry dryly. “That must have been horrible.”

“It wasn’t,” admitted Ron. “Bloke has something against colour, though.”

“That sounds about right. Merlin, I’m glad I went with Uncle Remus.”

Hermione tilted her head curiously. “You mentioned last year he gives you a Glamour Potion over the holidays.”

“Well, I didn’t know it was a Glamour Potion until last year, but yeah.”

“I wonder if there’s a spell that can cancel a Glamour momentarily.”

“I’m sure there’s something,” said Harry slowly. “But I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“We’d do it somewhere private, of course,” she said with growing excitement. “Don’t you want to see what you really look like?”

“Well, yeah, but—"

“Let’s go!” said Hermione determinedly.

It was a mark of their friendship that they immediately knew what Hermione meant. The bushy-haired girl strode off, leaving her friends to stare after her with a mix of amusement and dismay. “Library?” asked Ron with a sigh.

"Yup,” said Charlie. “We’ll see you there, Harry.”

"But I just got here!" Harry protested as Charlie dragged Ron away. "Merlin."

He reluctantly went to his dorm, spending a few moments greeting his fellow Hufflepuffs and exchanging small talk about their respective vacations. He set his trunk by his bed before going to the library. His friends were stationed at their usual table, a pile of books surrounding them.

“You work fast, Hermione,” said Harry in bafflement, settling in a thick wooden chair beside Charlie.

“I already knew where the books were located,” said Hermione airily. “Here, you take this pile.”

With a resigned sigh and exchanging a glum look with Ron, Harry cracked open his first book. Twenty minutes into their research a purple-polished hand fell beside Charlie’s elbow and the raven-haired girl glanced up.

“Hey, Scarlet. How was your Christmas?”

“Very nice, thanks. Yours?”

“It was great,” said Charlie sincerely.

“I don’t suppose you got a broomstick for Christmas,” said Scarlet with a grin.

It was meant to be a joke, so she didn’t expect Charlie to say hesitantly, “Well, kind of. Someone sent me a Firebolt.”

“A Firebolt!” shrieked Scarlet. She hastily clapped a hand over her mouth and peeked over her shoulder, but Pince was not descending upon her. “No way! This is awesome!”

“I don’t have the Firebolt right now,” Charlie admitted with a wince. “Since the sender was unknown, it was thought that it might have come from, uh, Sirius Black.”

Scarlet was dumbfounded. “Why in Merlin’s name would Sirius Black send you a Firebolt?”

“He wants to kill me,” said Charlie bluntly, as there was really no other way to deliver the news. “Because I defeated You-Know-Who. The professors think Black might have jinxed the broom, so it was confiscated.”

She avoided mentioning Snape was the one who took it and Hermione was the one who reported it. Hermione sent her a grateful look for her tact.

“Oh,” said Scarlet awkwardly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” said Charlie with a smile. “Trust me, I wish I had it as much as you do. But I have to wait for Professor Flitwick’s verdict.”

“I hope he’s quick about it,” said Scarlet anxiously. “There’s no point in you buying one if there’s a chance you’ll get to keep the Firebolt. Wait until I tell Tommy. He’s going to be so jealous!”

She hurried off and Charlie returned to her book. _Maybe Scarlet will pester Professor Flitwick about it, and he’ll be so annoyed he’ll just give me the Firebolt back and Professor Dumbledore can save me if I happen to be thrown a hundred feet into the air._

On second thought, she really needed to get her priorities in order.

“I’ve found it!” Hermione said excitedly. "Listen to this. A Glamour is cast for various reasons, the most common being for simple vanity. However, some cast Glamours in order to evade the law. In such cases, if a person is under suspicion of casting a Glamour for illegal purposes, there is a spell that can be used to reveal their true form. By uttering Glamour Cancellius and tapping the person's nose, the concealment will disappear for a period of time, determined by the strength of the Glamour that has been cast.”

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ron exclaimed.

“What if the Glamour doesn’t come back?” asked Harry.

“It’ll come back,” said Hermione confidently. “Like the book said, it’ll just take some time.”

“What do you think, Harry? You up for this?” asked Charlie.

“Oh, all right,” he conceded. “But where are we going to do it?”

“Where everything should be done if you want total privacy,” said Hermione matter-of-factly.

Harry pulled a face. “I am not doing this in front of Moaning Myrtle.”

“We’ll make sure she’s not there,” assured Charlie.

They put their books away and went to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. Charlie eased open the door and peeked inside. She could not hear Myrtle’s usual sounds of distress, so she crept further in and looked into all the stalls. “We’re clear!” she called.

Her friends wandered in and Harry positioned himself by the mirror. “Okay, go ahead,” said Harry, nervousness coursing through him.

Hermione held out her wand. “ _Glamour Cancellius!"_ she said strongly, tapping Harry’s nose.

They watched in awe as Harry's brown eyes morphed to a bright green. His complexion turned a few shades paler and his neat brunette hair started to curl and change to black. His mouth fell open as he stared at his reflection, foreign eyes wide.

“Hey, Harry Potter,” breathed Charlie.

"Wow,” said Harry softly.

“Yeah, you guys are definitely twins,” said Ron with a laugh.

“What do you think?” asked Hermione.

“This is…so strange. I don’t look like me, but I guess I’ve never really been me.” Harry carted his fingers through his raven hair.

“You’re a spitting image of Dad,” said Charlie quietly.

“Thanks, Charlie.” Harry beamed, tears springing to his eyes. “This is pretty cool. It’s nice to know that I really do share traits with Mum and Dad without the Glamour.”

“When do you think the Glamour will reappear?” asked Ron.

“I expect the potion Remus gives Harry is very strong, so it shouldn’t take too long for him to change back.”

“Good, because I cannot stay in here all day,” said Harry feelingly. “If Myrtle catches me she’ll blab it all over the school. That would be—”

He cut himself off as giggles erupted from the other side of the bathroom door. Hermione gasped softly and Charlie practically lunged for the door, slamming her body against it. Ron hastened by her side and they used their combined weight to prevent anyone from coming in.

“Hey!” snapped Cho Chang. “What’s going on?”

Hermione and Harry frantically joined them in blocking the door. “Is it locked?” asked Marietta Edgecombe in confusion.

“ _Alohomora!_ ” called Cho.

When that didn’t work, the two rammed the door and Charlie was nearly taken off her feet. Ron braced his shoulder against the wood and pushed with all his might. 

“Ugh! We’ll just have to find another bathroom,” said Cho in irritation, giving the door one more useless shove.

“What is going on here?”

McGonagall’s voice caused Ron to turn stark white. Charlie backed away from the door and dove into a stall. “Dobby!” she hissed.

“Hello—”

Charlie clamped a hand over his mouth. “Shh,” she whispered. “Dobby, I need you to bring me my Invisibility Cloak. Don’t let anyone see you.”

“Yes, Miss,” said Dobby in a hushed voice.

He vanished and Charlie poked her head around the stall. Her friends had their upper bodies pressed against the door while their legs strained against the tiles, trying to use the leverage to their advantage. “Who is responsible for this?” McGonagall demanded, knowing immediately that the blockage was not the result of Myrtle. “Peeves! If you’re in there—”

Dobby returned and thrust the Invisibility Cloak into Charlie’s hands. “Thank you!” she said softly.

“Does Miss want Dobby to take Charlotte Potter and friends to safety?” asked Dobby lowly.

“Can you—oh my gosh, yes. Come with me.”

She hurried over to Harry and flung the Cloak over his body. “Take us somewhere private,” she hissed.

Dobby seized Charlie and Hermione’s hands while Ron and Harry latched onto the girls. They Disapparated onto the castle grounds, tumbling against the snow. Ron was breathing hard, clutching his chest. “Oh, Merlin. That was terrifying,” he croaked.

Hermione was hunched over, retching into the snow. “Sorry,” gasped Charlie, holding a hand to her twisting stomach. “Sorry. Apparating and Disapparating is terrible.”

“This Cloak isn’t warm,” said Harry with a violent shiver.

Though his body wasn’t visible Charlie could pinpoint where his voice was coming from. “It’s meant to keep you hidden, not give you warmth.” She got to her feet and brushed the snow from her robes. “Thank you, Dobby. You totally saved us.”

“Miss is welcome,” said Dobby. He tilted his head to the side and asked in confusion, “But what was Miss doing?”

“Nothing of great importance,” said Charlie with a sheepish smile. “You better get inside where its warm. We’ll walk in ourselves.”

The four trudged through the snow and entered the castle, hands and faces red from the cold. Harry hugged the Cloak tight to his body. “Are you normal yet?” asked Ron.

“No. I’m still as pale as Charlie.”

“It’s not from lack of sun, trust me,” said Charlie feelingly.

“What am I supposed to do under an Invisibility Cloak?” demanded Harry.

Ron brightened. “Want to come up to my room and play chess? We’ll keep the hangings closed so no one can see you move the pieces from under the Cloak.”

Hermione frowned sharply. “How is that a good idea?”

“It’s about as much of a risk as taking off my Glamour in Myrtle’s bathroom,” retorted Harry.

“Just be careful,” warned Hermione.

The two Ravenclaws walked them all the way to Gryffindor Tower. Charlie raised a brow at the sight of Sir Cadogan. “The Fat Lady hasn’t come back yet?”

“No,” said Ron with a scowl. “And this nutter is the only portrait that would take the job. It’s awful. He switches passwords every few hours.”

“Halt! Who goes there?” demanded Sir Cadogan, waving his sword.

“It’s me!” said Ron in irritation. “You see me several times a day!”

“How’s it going, Sir Cadogan?” asked Charlie politely.

“You will identify yourself immediately!”

“Charlotte Potter.” Charlie jerked her thumb towards Hermione. “And Hermione Granger.”

“Charlotte Potter!” the knight exclaimed. “It is an honour to meet a brave warrior such as yourself!”

“Er, I wouldn’t call myself a warrior, but thank you.”

“Whizzing wallaby walnuts,” said Ron impatiently.

“That is incorrect!”

Ron raised his fist and Hermione had to restrain him from slamming it against the frame. “That was the password this morning, you absolute—”

The portrait swung open and they all jumped back. Percy regarded them with suspicion. “What are you lot up to?”

“I’m trying to get inside,” said Ron. “Is the Fat Lady coming back or not?”

“Not,” said Percy shortly. “Not that I blame her.” His gaze slid to Charlie and he said pompously, “You know I can’t let you in—”

“I know,” said Charlie quickly. “We were just walking Ron here. We’re going back to our common room now.”

“I’ll escort you.” Percy stepped aside so Ron could climb through the hole and Charlie could only assume that Harry followed silently after him.

“All right. Thanks.”

When they were in the safety of their dorms, Charlie sat on the edge of her bed and set Snowy in her lap. “That didn’t go too horribly.”

“I suppose not,” said Hermione. “How are you going to get your Cloak back?”

“Harry will smuggle it to me eventually. I really hope he’s back to normal before classes tomorrow, or else he’s going to have to think of a really great excuse.”

…

Harry was brunette and brown-eyed when Charlie saw him at breakfast. He gave her back her Invisibility Cloak in the Entrance Hall and she shoved it into her bag. In the fleeting excitement of getting a Firebolt and the chaos to prevent Harry’s exposure as a Potter Charlie had forgotten about the Anti-Dementor lesson Remus was going to give her. Her memory was jolted when he spoke to her at the end of Defense Against the Dark Arts and arranged to meet her in the History of Magic room that evening.

Her anxiety spiked at the thought of encountering a Dementor but she was determined to overcome her fears. She entered the classroom on time and stared at the large pack that sat on Binns’ desk. “I suppose that’s housing a Boggart.”

"You are correct,” said Remus with a smile. “There seems to be a slight infestation in this school and I managed to find another one.”

Charlie figured a Boggart would be her target, as she suspected bringing a Dementor inside the school would be both frowned upon and a rather impossible feat. Dementors didn’t seem like they were capable of bargaining or having conversations.

“The key to banishing a Dementor is the Patronus Charm, as I’ve mentioned before. The incantation is _Expecto patronum_. Your Patronus will be unique to you and a representation of your spirit. The happier your thoughts, the stronger your Patronus will be. I want to stress, Charlie, that this really is advanced magic. You shouldn’t worry if you’re unable to get it right.”

"I'll do my best.”

“All right. Do a practice one for me.”

Charlie closed her eyes and focussed on the first happy memory that came to mind—catching her first Golden Snitch. " _Expecto patronum!_ "

A silvery mist erupted from the end of her wand. Remus nodded in approval. "Good job. Here we go.”

He opened the pack and a Dementor immediately flew out. Charlie pointed her wand and started the spell, but choked halfway through it when a frigid sensation washed over her. A haze entered her mind and she started to shake.

_“Please! Leave Charlotte alone! Not my baby!”_

_“Move aside, woman! Or you’ll meet the same fate!”_

_“No! Charlotte!”_

"Charlie!"

Charlie’s eyes shot open and she gasped, sweat matting her brow. She was flat on the floor and she got to her feet, her hands braced against a desk as her legs felt like jelly. “I’m okay,” she panted. “I’m okay. Can we go again?”

“Eat this first.”

She accepted the chocolate he offered her and munched on it. She was feeling a bit sturdier when she finished and she said, with more strength to her voice, “Okay. I’m ready.”

Charlie took a deep breath and prepared herself. Remus lifted the lid of his suitcase and the Dementor rose out once again. Charlie managed to choke out the spell before she succumbed to the darkness. She crumpled as her father’s voice roared through her mind, clear as a bell.

_“You-Know-Who is here! Take Charlie upstairs! I’ll try to hold him off!”_

_“James—”_

_“Go, Lily! Now!”_

Something tapped the side of her face firmly and Charlie stirred, gasping for air as the classroom came back into focus. Remus stared at her with worry. “I think we should stop.”

“My dad,” she said between gulping breaths. Her heart pounded madly in her chest and she could feel tears trailing down her cheeks. “I heard my dad. It’s the first time I’ve ever—he was trying to protect us.”

_He called me Charlie. It wasn’t a nickname I gave myself. He gave it to me._

Remus gripped Charlie’s arm and helped her to her feet. His expression was stricken. “You heard your father this time?”

“Yeah.” Charlie rubbed the moisture off her face. Her breathing evened out and exhaustion set in her bones.

Remus handed Charlie some more chocolate. He watched her intently, at the haunted glaze of her eyes and the way her fingers trembled. His heart wrenched and his hatred for Sirius increased a hundredfold. He would never understand why Sirius betrayed their brotherhood. But he had, and the two most affected by the tragedy was the thirteen-year-old girl in front of him, and Harry, who had been forced to grow up without his sister.

“That’s enough, Charlie.”

She whirled around and Remus was started by the fire that blazed in her green eyes. “Please, let me try one more time.”

“One more time,” said Remus firmly.

When the Dementor rose out of the suitcase, Charlie’s entire body trembled. But she stayed upright, thrust her wand towards the creature and shouted, _“Expecto patronum!_ ”

A cloud of silver mist erupted from her wand and Remus quickly banished the Boggart, forcing it out of its Dementor form. Charlie sunk to her knees and after Remus made sure the Boggart was contained, he gave her the rest of the chocolate bar.

“You did very well,” he said softly.

“Thanks. But I think I can do better.” She looked at him pleadingly. “Can we keep doing this?”

Even though the Dementor made her relive the worst moment of her life time and time again, she was determined to keep confronting it. James’ spirit and Lily’s drive shone within her and Remus swallowed passed the lump of emotion in his throat.

“If you’re sure, Charlie, yes we can. We’ll keep this a running appointment. Same time, same day, same place.”

“Thank you,” said Charlie with a weak smile.

No matter what she had to endure, she would master the Patronus Charm. She would not let fear get the best of her.

That, she knew, was what Voldemort would want. She wouldn’t give him what he wanted. Not ever.

...

Charlie had so much to think about that sometimes she forgot to dwell on certain things. The Dementors were once more on the forefront of her mind and as such she didn’t give too much thought to her Firebolt. She jumped when Scarlet practically collapsed beside her at breakfast a few days later, a scowl on her features.

“Professor Flitwick is still working on your broomstick. I tried to convince him if he hadn’t found anything yet, he probably won’t find anything at all. Black doesn’t seem the type to be meticulous with his cursing.”

“I’m guessing Professor Flitwick didn’t agree,” said Charlie in slight amusement.

“No! He threatened to give me detention if I kept nagging him about it! Honestly, how does he expect us to win if our Seeker doesn't have a broom?"

“I think I should be offended that you don’t think I’m going to win the match against Gryffindor on a school broom.”

“Well, our chances would be much better if you had your bloody Firebolt,” said Scarlet sourly. “I guess we’ll see what you can do on an outdated broom. We have practice tomorrow before breakfast.”

“Sounds good.”

“Hey, ask Professor Flitwick about your broomstick. Maybe he’ll be more inclined to hand it over if its owner asks about it.”

Charlie was glad Scarlet moved on without waiting for a response. The last thing she wanted was detention and she figured Flitwick would not hesitate to give her one if she dared to inquire about her broom after he consistently turned away Scarlet. She finished her breakfast and went to her common room, where she found Hermione in the same spot she had left her. The bushy-haired girl was sitting behind a stack of books, piles of parchment near her.

“Aren’t you hungry?” asked Charlie.

“No.”

Charlie stared at the girl’s overflowing bookbag. She didn’t understand how Hermione could possibly be taking all the classes at once and she and the others had given up trying to get the answer out of her. "Hermione, perhaps you should drop a few subjects."

"I couldn't do that!" Hermione cried. “I've been doing so well so far!"

"All right,” said Charlie dubiously. “Don’t stress yourself out too much. I’m going to review my Transfiguration essay and start on Potions.”

In the spare time they had between classes, the two girls would review Ron’s notes for Hagrid’s hearing. His parents had received the official notice that he was expected to appear and Ron refused to leave a single detail out. Hermione, Harry and Charlie shared the task of crafting notes for Hagrid and filled him in on their progress before each Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

As the weeks wore on, Charlie continued her Anti-Dementor lessons. She had stopped fainting and was consistently able to produce a silvery mist. She couldn’t help but feel that she wasn’t making further progress but Remus disagreed. To celebrate what he thought was fantastic work, he brought out two ice-cold Butterbeers at the end of their lesson.

“Thanks,” said Charlie brightly, sitting across from him and sipping the frothy drink.

“You’ve more than earned it, Charlie. I’m impressed. Most people would not have been able to withstand a Dementor’s presence as long as you have.”

“I just want to prove to myself that I can beat them,” said Charlie, making shapes in the condensation of her glass. “I mean, if I let myself fear them forever, what good will that do me?”

“You’re wise,” said Remus softly. “So much like your mother.”

“Were you friends with her, when you were in school?”

“Not in the beginning, no. We became close in our later years in Hogwarts.”

There was a great rattling sound as the Boggart bounced around its case. Charlie glanced at it, picturing the black cloak and the rotting body parts. “Does anyone know what’s under the hood of a Dementor?”

“No. If someone gets close enough to see beneath a Dementor’s hood, then they are no longer with us.”

Charlie’s eyes widened. “Dementors kill?”

"Depends on your viewpoint,” said Remus carefully. “They give what is called the Kiss. The Kiss takes away the soul of witches and wizards deserving of the punishment."

"How do you live without a soul?” whispered Charlie.

“You don’t. You become a husk. You lead a meaningless existence. You have no feelings, no thoughts and no memoires.”

“Is…is Black going to get the Kiss?”

“He is.” Remus’ face was blank.

“That’s…that’s horrible.”

This was the last thing Remus expected the girl to say. He stared at her expression, which was stricken and horrified. “You don’t think he deserves it?”

“I don’t think anyone does,” said Charlie, frowning into her drink. “I know he killed all those people. But…taking his soul is as good as death. How does that make us better than him?”

She knew he was the reason her parents were dead. But she could not and would not wish such a fate upon him. She didn’t have the anger nor the hatred for it, and perhaps that made her weak.

“You are perhaps the most fascinating person I have ever met, Charlie.”

Remus’ voice sounded a bit strange and Charlie had a few guesses as to why. “I suppose I’m not quite normal,” she said with a small smile.

She drained her Butterbeer and Remus, as he always did after one of their sessions, escorted her back to Ravenclaw Tower. On the way they encountered Flitwick, who was visibly relieved to see the girl. “There you are, Miss Potter!” he exclaimed. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“I kept her a bit later than normal, Professor,” said Remus apologetically. “She has been doing remarkable in our lessons and I thought we should have a bit of a celebration.”

“That’s wonderful,” said Flitwick with a proud smile. “My timing is apt, then. This will give you further reason to celebrate, I’m sure.”

He brandished the Firebolt and Charlie gasped. She seized it and ran her fingers along the handle, joy welling within her. “No way. It’s properly mine?”

“Indeed it is,” said Flitwick. “I inspected every inch of that broom. There are no jinxes or hexes. Please inform Miss Ezra you have gotten it back. Perhaps now she'll stop staking out my office door and ambushing me."

“Thank you so much!”

“I look forward to its debut game against the Gryffindors. Good night, Miss Potter, Professor Lupin.”

“Good night, Professor!”

Remus watched delight gleam in her eyes, her smile threatening to split her face in two. He was tremendously grateful to whoever sent the girl the luxurious broomstick. She deserved to be spoiled, and he only wished he was able be the one doing the spoiling.

“Someone out there must really like you, Charlie.”

“I guess so,” said Charlie happily. “I’ll use it well. I hope they come forward one day. I really want to thank them.”

Remus brought her to the Tower and didn’t leave until the door closed behind her. Charlie climbed up the spiral steps, clutching the Firebolt to her chest.

_Scarlet and the others are going to flip when they see this!_


	11. Meltdowns and Frights

Charlie’s soaring spirits quickly plummeted when Ron barged into the Great Hall during breakfast, his face puce. _“Hermione!_ ” he roared. _“Your bloody cat killed Scabbers!”_

“Mr. Weasley!” barked McGonagall.

But there was no need for her to say anything further. The second Harry’s eyes landed on Ron he knew exactly what had happened. He sprinted down the aisle and clapped a hand over the redhead’s mouth before he could continue spewing fury. He dragged Ron back out the doors, letting them thud shut behind them.

McGonagall started to rise but Dumbledore set a hand against her elbow. “They are more than capable of working it out for themselves,” he said softly.

Hermione stared down at her eggs, holding onto the edge of the table with a white-knuckled grip. Their Housemates started to whisper among themselves about Ron’s outburst and Charlie took a minute to gather her courage.

“Hermione? Do you remember when you last saw Crookshanks?”

“He couldn’t have killed Scabbers,” said Hermione hotly, breaking out of her silent stupor and glaring at Charlie. “He couldn’t!”

She jumped to her feet and started purposefully for the doors. Charlie frantically went after her and braced herself. Harry had wrangled Ron into an alcove away from the Great Hall, where his shouts would not attract attention. “You!” he cried when Hermione stormed over to him. “This is all your fault!”

“Where is my cat?” demanded Hermione.

“Not in Gryffindor Tower anymore, or else I would have skinned him,” said Ron savagely.

“You’re horrible!” she shouted.

“I’m horrible?” said Ron incredulously. “Your cat ate my pet and you’re not even sorry!”

“You don’t have proof he ate Scabbers,” said Hermione angrily. “Someone would have had to let him into Gryffindor Tower and you would have known right away, since you’ve had it out for him since day one.”

“No, Crookshanks has been out for Scabbers since day one, and he finally got him because you didn’t listen to me!” he hollered.

“Okay, okay,” said Charlie pleadingly. “I’m really sorry about Scabbers, Ron, but could you tell us what happened?”

“I left Scabbers in Gryffindor Tower all day yesterday, ‘cause he wasn’t moving much and I thought maybe he just needed some rest. He was sleeping in my bookbag, and when I woke up this morning, there was blood and ginger hairs and no Scabbers!”

“They could just be your own hairs,” said Hermione insensitively.

“I know what my own hairs look like!” Ron tried moving closer to Hermione but Harry placed himself firmly between the squabbling duo. “They’re cat hairs and they’re from your cat! There are no ginger cats in Gryffindor Tower.”

“There has to be! You just don’t pay attention! You want to blame this on Crookshanks because you hate him!”

“Of course I hate him! He’s a horrid cat and his owner is just as bad!”

“Ron!” said Charlie in shock.

Tears sprung to Hermione’s eyes and she said shrilly, “You’re the horrid one, Ronald! Don’t you dare come near my cat and I hope you feel like a complete fool when you find Scabbers under someone’s bed!”

She ran down the corridor and Ron glowered after her. “The nerve of her!”

He stomped into the Great Hall, leaving Charlie and Harry to stare after both of them in dismay. “Do you really think Crookshanks got into Gryffindor Tower just to kill Ron’s rat?” asked Harry.

“It sure seems like it,” said Charlie heavily. “Snowy doesn’t act the way Crookshanks does. Whenever he was out of Ravenclaw Tower he would tail Ron. He would tackle Ron whenever Scabbers was in his pocket if Hermione didn’t keep him confined to our dorm. Whenever both of them were let loose, he would find Scabbers in the corridor and chase him. No other rat. Just Scabbers.”

“But if Crookshanks was so determined to kill Scabbers why was Scabbers in the corridor when we were in the library before Christmas?” asked Harry in confusion. “Even rats have survival instincts.”

“Someone might have let Crookshanks in the Tower then, and Scabbers was just trying to escape.” Charlie shrugged. “That’s my best guess, anyway.”

Harry shook his head. “No way. If Crookshanks managed to get into the Gryffindor common room before now, Ron most definitely would have found out and told us.”

Charlie stared at her feet; brow furrowed. “That’s true, I suppose. I don’t know why Scabbers would risk being in the corridors or why Crookshanks was so fixated on him. It’s super weird, but I guess it doesn’t really matter now.”

“Crookshanks completed his hunt,” said Harry with a frown. “How long do you think before they talk to each other?”

“Harry, I’m not sure they’ll ever talk to each again.”

They went back into the Great Hall and found themselves the recipient of dozens of stares. Charlie flicked her gaze over to Gryffindor table, where Ron was stabbing at his eggs under the scrutiny of his siblings, who seemed sympathetic to his plight. Charlie waited until the Weasleys finished their breakfast and departed before approaching Dean and Seamus.

“So, I’m not entirely sure how Crookshanks got into Gryffindor Tower,” she said lowly. “But if you happen to see or hear about a ginger cat taking refuge beneath someone’s bed—”

“Save him before Ron kills him,” said Dean with a grave nod.

“Yeah. And, uh, don’t tell Ron I said this, but could you also keep an eye out—”

“For his rat,” finished Seamus. “Sure. But I’ve seen the state of Scabbers this year. Even if the cat didn’t get him, he’s probably dead.”

Charlie winced. “Don’t tell Ron that either.”

…

Harry and Charlie were forced to divide their time between their feuding friends. Classes were stifling, with Ron and Hermione simmering in rage on either side of Charlie or Harry. Care of Magical Creatures was a bit of a relief, since they were in wide open air and gave the two plenty of space away from each other. It also gave Charlie and Harry time to lament their situation and wish that the two would make up.

In her spare time Hermione was knee deep in homework. Despite Charlie’s efforts to persuade her, Hermione refused to lessen her workload. She was often found camped out at one of the circular tables in the common room or in a study carrel in the library.

On the day of her final practice before the game against Gryffindor, Charlie approached Ron at breakfast, making sure Hermione had left before doing so. “Hey,” she greeted.

“Hey,” he said moodily.

“Listen, my last practice before the big game is tonight. Do you want to come over after we’ve finished and give my Firebolt a try?”

The change in mood was drastic. Elation filled Ron’s features and he said eagerly, “You mean it?”

“Of course.”

“Yeah! I’d love to!”

“Great!” Charlie grinned at him. “Come to the pitch around seven. We’ll be done practicing by then.”

“I’ll be there! Thanks, Charlie.”

She stood up and caught Fred’s gaze. He and his twin gave Charlie a thumbs-up and she winked.

It was her first practice with her Firebolt in her possession and Charlie was ecstatic to finally be able to ride it. Her teammates were just as delighted as she was and they had fawned over the broomstick when she proudly showed it to them after getting it back from Flitwick. Even when she arrived at the pitch, they admired it as if they were seeing it for the first time.

"Gryffindor doesn't stand a chance!" Clancy said with a smile.

"We'll dominate!" Tommy agreed.

Scarlet snorted. "We better.”

Aurora grinned. "I'd hate to see what’s going to happen if we lose."

"Trust me, I'll go crazy if we don't win this," Scarlet said flatly. "I graduate this year. This is my last chance to win the Quidditch Cup."

"Don't worry, we'll win this," Charlie promised. "I'm going to miss you when you go."

Scarlet affectionately pinched her cheek. "I'm going to miss you too. You're the only normal one on this team. Well, except for Eliza, of course. That's why the captain duties are being passed on to her when I leave."

Eliza turned red. "Really? Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” said Scarlet confidently. “I’ve been putting in a good word for you with Flitwick.”

Eliza was touched. “Wow! Thank you! I won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Now enough sappy stuff! Let's get practicing!"

Charlie mounted her broomstick, gripped the handle, and with a deep breath she soared into the air. The wind rushed past her as she experimented with her twists and turns. It moved effortlessly, gracefully, and its speed and accuracy were unmatched even by her teammates.

“Looking good Potter!” crooned Tommy.

Scarlet was beside herself with glee. “The rest of this season is ours!”

When practice started to wind down Charlie flew to land near the stands, where Madam Hooch was observing them. She offered her Firebolt to the Flying instructor and with no hesitation the woman happily accepted it. Charlie smiled as Hooch zoomed around the pitch, looping and twirling.

“What is she doing?”

Charlie glanced over her shoulder to see Ron approaching. “Well, I thought it was the least I could do. She probably has much better things to do than supervise our practices.”

Ron’s eyes glimmered as he traced the Firebolt’s movements. “It’s majestic.”

“It is,” said Charlie, beaming.

Hooch landed as the other Ravenclaws filed towards the change rooms. “Would it be okay if Ron had a go?” asked Charlie.

“We have a bit of time, so I don’t see why not.”

“Thanks!” said Ron, taking hold of the Firebolt.

Charlie grabbed a Quaffle and played a game of catch with him. She would lob the ball as far as she could with the Levitating Charm and Ron would chase after it. Once he snagged it, he would toss it back down for Charlie to throw again.

"All right!" Hooch called after ten minutes had passed. "Time to head back to the castle."

Ron came back to the ground and the two kids started off. "That broom is brilliant!"

"It won’t replace the Nimbus in my heart, but it has its own special place," Charlie replied.

As they got closer to the castle, Charlie came to a halt when she noticed a pair of shiny eyes staring at her from the bushes. Hooch nearly ran into her and she asked, “What’s wrong, Potter?”

“Something in the bushes is looking at me.”

With one fluid movement Hooch swept Ron and Charlie behind her, her wand held steadily at the rustling foliage. “Show yourself!” she barked.

The leaves parted and a lumpy form jumped out. Hooch had an attack spell on her lips but paused when a loud mew pierced the night. “ _Lumos!_ ”

The light illuminated Crookshanks and Ron scowled fiercely. “Get lost!”

Crookshanks sprinted towards the castle and Hooch closed her eyes, taking a few breaths to calm her racing heart. “Just a cat, Potter. No need to fret.”

Charlie was sure Hooch thought she had been worried it was Black. In truth she feared it was yet another sighting of the big black dog which may or may not have been the Grim. But that was too embarrassing to admit out loud, so she was grateful when Hooch left the matter alone.

...

Charlie’s nerves got the best of her the day of their game against Gryffindor. She knew if they lost, there was little chance of going to the final for the Quidditch Cup. She managed to scarf down a piece of toast as her Housemates buzzed with excitement and anticipation.

She retrieved her Firebolt and she met her teammates in the Entrance Hall. Students were spilling out the castle doors, eager to claim the best seats in the stands. The air was cool and nipped at her ears. Charlie’s heartbeat picked up as they neared the pitch.

_You’ve got this, Potter. Even if the Dementors show up you can at least try and defend yourself._

She went into the change rooms and switched from her school robes to her Quidditch robes. Scarlet and the others waited for her outside. Scarlet’s face was pinched with a mix of determination and stress. “Ready, Charlie?”

“Ready.”

Scarlet looked around at all of them. “If we want a chance at the Quidditch Cup, we’re going to have to win this.”

"Is that all?" Tommy asked sarcastically.

She ignored him. "I want no funny business. Clancy, I want one hand on the broom and one hand holding the Bludger Bat. Tommy, _keep your mouth shut._ Aurora, I don't want one curse word out of you. Eliza, keep doing what you do. Danny, just try to fly in a straight line. Charlie, keep doing what _you_ do."

"Favouritism," Tommy muttered.

The Ravenclaw team filed onto the pitch and got into position. Hooch blew the whistle and everyone shot into the air. Katie Bell immediately blocked Danny, snagging the Quaffle and she raced for the goalposts. She tossed it over to Angelina Johnson, who in turn tried to pass it to Alicia Spinnet but Tommy grabbed it out of the air.

Charlie kept her eyes focussed for the golden sparkle that would give away the position of the Snitch. Dean, the Gryffindor Seeker, was tailing her.

This was a slight problem when Charlie pinpointed the location of the Golden Snitch.

Thinking quickly, she went into a deep dive. Acting on instincts, Dean followed her. Charlie’s eyes darted between the fast-approaching ground and the fluttering Snitch. Without warning she rolled out of the dive, easily changing direction, and sped right for the Golden Snitch. Dean was not quick enough to change his course and he smacked into the ground with a shocked cry.

A flash of black caught her attention before Alicia’s terrified shriek did.

She looked over and whipped out her wand the second she saw the two looming cloaked figures.

_“Expecto patronum!”_

A full, silver shape burst out of her wand and charged in the direction of the Dementors. Charlie’s adrenaline raced and all her attention was focussed on the Golden Snitch, which had darted to the other side of the stadium. She swooped down under it and seized it, joy swelling within her at the solid sphere pressing against her fingers.

The Ravenclaws erupted. Charlie landed and found herself engulfed in a hug by her teammates.

“You’re amazing!” squealed Scarlet, happy tears in her eyes.

“How did you do that?” said Tommy, gobsmacked.

“Catch the Snitch?” asked Charlie in bewilderment.

“You cast a corporal Patronus,” said Scarlet with awe. “Do you have any idea how rare that is?”

It suddenly occurred to Charlie that she hadn’t felt the usual affects of the creatures. She cautiously glanced over her shoulder and was startled to see Snape and McGonagall wrangling Draco, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle from the tangles of the oversized cloaks.

“Whoops,” she muttered.

_Kind of clever, though. Points to them._

Remus approached her, pride shining on his features. “Charlotte, do you know what you’ve done?”

“A corporal Patronus, apparently,” said Charlie, grinning widely. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Professor.”

“I only taught you the foundation,” said Remus with a shake of his head. “That advanced magic—it was all you.”

Charlie felt like she could fly without the use of her broom, she was so light and happy. After changing out of her Quidditch gear she found Ron and Harry waiting for her outside the change rooms.

Harry beamed. “That was amazing!”

“Thanks!”

“That thing that came out of your wand. Is that what Remus has been trying to teach you?” asked Ron.

“Well, kind of. I don’t think he ever expected me to be able to do it completely, since not a lot of witches and wizards can.”

“I wish I could have seen Malfoy’s face,” said Harry with a wide grin.

“I saw Snape’s,” cackled Ron. “He looked mortified.”

“I’d ask if you wanted to do something with us, but it sounds like there’s going to be a party waiting for you,” said Harry.

Ron made a face. “If it weren’t for you, we could be partying.”

Charlie playfully stuck out her tongue. “I don’t think Fred and George need much excuse to throw a party. You can have one anyway.”

“Well, that’s true.”

They walked back to the castle and Charlie separated from them to go to Ravenclaw Tower. Charlie wasn’t entirely certain if Hermione had actually attended the game and it wasn’t a surprise when she found the girl stationed at her usual table. Charlie waded her way through congratulatory backslaps and hugs to reach her friend.

“Er, in case it wasn’t obvious, we won,” said Charlie, regarding the jubilee with a smile.

"I know you won. I saw the match. You did brilliantly and that Patronus of yours was great," Hermione said distractedly.

Charlie stared at the book she was reading—it was her Muggle Studies textbook. “Why don’t you take a break?”

“I have to get this finished in time for Monday.”

“Hermione,” said Charlie gently. “It’s a book on the customs of British Muggles. You are a British Muggle. I can say with the utmost certainty you do not need to read that to pass your class.”

“I have to read it!” said Hermione desperately. “They assign textbook readings for a reason!”

“Yeah, for us to learn,” said Charlie patiently. “The students who take Muggle Studies are students who are born and raised in the magical world. That’s why there’s a textbook for them to read.”

Charlie had been trying to help, to coax Hermione into ignoring the workload she didn’t need to do. But she burst into tears and buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know if I can do this!” she sobbed.

“Of course you can!” said Charlie quickly. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to badger. Do you want some help studying?”

"No, no, you couldn't. You've already been a big help on Hagrid's trial, handing me your notes and everything. There’s just not enough time, not even with—oh, I'm _going to fail everything!"_

Hermione was struggling to breathe as panic overtook her. Charlie rubbed her back in a soothing motion and she helped Hermione out of her chair. “Okay, I think you need to see Madam Pomfrey.”

Hermione would have protested if she could talk, but all she could make were strangled sobs. Charlie quickly brought her out of the common room and to the infirmary. Pomfrey frowned sharply as Hermione wheezed for air and she was by her side in an instant.

"What's the matter?"

"I think she's having a breakdown," Charlie informed. "Too much schoolwork."

"Ah, yes. I've seen a fair number of these." Pomfrey pulled a Calming Draught off the shelf and handed it to Hermione. "Come on, dear, drink up."

Hermione reluctantly gulped down the potion. After a moment, her breathing started to even out and the sobs ceased. “Thanks,” she croaked, wiping at her face.

“Of course, Miss Granger. I strongly suggest taking a break from schoolwork for the rest of the evening.” Pomfrey turned to Charlie and said, "If she has another one, bring her back to me.”

"Thank you," Charlie said gratefully and ushered Hermione from the room. "Okay, you heard her. No work for you.”

“Fine,” said Hermione miserably.

When they got back to Ravenclaw Tower Hermione packed away her books under Charlie’s supervision. She loosened up a bit when Eliza offered her treats from someone’s personal Honeydukes stash, and Cho invited the two girls to play a game of Gobstones. The cheer lasted until Penelope Clearwater shooed them all to bed.

“Don’t groan at me!” she chided, hands on her hips and watching intently as they filed up the staircases to their dorms. “It’s already well past curfew.”

Brimming with contentment, Charlie got into her pajamas and snuggled in her bed. She was half-asleep when a thump caused her to crack her eyes open, catching a glimpse of Crookshanks slinking out of the dorm—someone had left the door ajar. Curious, Charlie sat up and climbed out of bed. She crept downstairs into the common room, but Crookshanks was nowhere in sight.

_He’s not…is he?_

Charlie hastened down the spiral staircase and saw Crookshanks’ tail disappearing through the door. It clinked shut behind him and Charlie’s green eyes widened. “What the—?”

The door, as it always did when someone wanted to leave Ravenclaw Tower, automatically opened. Charlie squinted down the corridor in time to see Crookshanks disappearing around the corner.

In the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

“What is with that cat?” she said in bafflement.

She stepped back into the Tower and bit down on her bottom lip.

_Do not follow him it’s a bad idea. Do not follow him he’s just a cat. A very weird cat but still do not follow him—_

The next minute she had her Invisibility Cloak in her arms and was in the dark corridor. She swung the Cloak over her body and took out her map. She activated it with her wand and searched the sea of dots for Crookshanks.

She found it—it was skittering past the one marked Sirius Black.

Charlie froze. Black’s dot entered Gryffindor Tower.

“Dobby!”

Her house-elf appeared before her. “Miss—” he started in confusion, not able to see the girl.

“I need you to get Professor Dumbledore! Sirius Black is in Gryffindor Tower. Do _not_ tell them I told you. Just say you saw him while you were going around cleaning.”

It was all said in one breath but Dobby understood. He hastily Disapparated and Charlie, despite her conscious hollering at her to turn around, sprinted to Gryffindor Tower.

She had just reached Sir Cadogan when she heard Ron’s piercing scream.

She started to lift the folds of her Cloak to plead with Sir Cadogan to let her inside when the portrait suddenly swung open, smacking into an unprepared Charlie. Her head cracked off the hard, unforgiving floor and white dots exploded in her vision. She turned her head, staring dazedly down the corridor, but by the time the dots fizzled away there was no one in sight.

_Oh, thank you Cloak for not falling off._

A resounding crack caused Charlie to jolt. Dumbledore and McGonagall let go of Dobby’s hands and Sir Cadogan said pompously, “The password?”

 _“Let me in this instant!”_ said McGonagall shrilly.

“Now,” thundered Dumbledore.

The portrait swung open and McGonagall sprinted inside, where the hysteria of her students spilled out into the corridor. Charlie climbed to her feet and looked up to see Dumbledore’s blue eyes searing in her direction.

“Stay with me.”

Terrified by the power and anger in his voice, she could only nod.

She followed him into Gryffindor Tower, clutching her Cloak to her body. She traversed up the stairs to Ron’s dormitory, where Ron’s siblings and his dormmates were gathered around the redhead, pale-faced and scared.

Ron was bleeding—there was a knife sticking out of his shoulder.

Charlie choked back a shout.

“Percy, you and your brothers will assist me in moving him to Madam Pomfrey,” said McGonagall in a controlled voice.

Blood pooled into the fabric of Ron’s pajamas. He was shaking violently but he did not make a sound.

“We’ve got you,” said Fred frantically, carefully taking one leg in his grasp while George grabbed the other. “You’re gonna be okay, Ronnie.”

“Shh, Ron, it’s okay,” soothed Percy, even though Ron wasn’t saying anything. He gently cupped his hands under Ron’s armpits and the boy let out a strangled yip as agony tore through his injured shoulder. “I know, I know.”

Ginny was sobbing, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Ron!”

“Get him in the common room and I will magic him onto a stretcher,” said McGonagall.

Charlie hastily went back downstairs, having to squeeze by the observing older Gryffindors, who looked confused and shaken. The Weasley siblings and McGonagall strode briskly down the stairs and McGonagall wasted no time in putting Ron on a stretcher.

“I will take them to the infirmary,” announced Dumbledore. “Professor McGonagall, please make sure the rest of the Gryffindors make it to the Great Hall safely. I will be with you again shortly.”

Charlie dove through the portrait hole and just before it shut, she managed to hear McGonagall furiously asking Sir Cadogan how Sirius Black managed to be granted entry. As she walked a distance away from the stretcher, Charlie longed to reach out and hold Ron’s hand but she knew she was meant to remain hidden.

Pomfrey was horrified when she saw the state of Ron. She was even more so when Dumbledore curtly told her the reason for his injury was Sirius Black. Leaving the redhead in Pomfrey’s capable hands, Dumbledore promised the Weasleys he would return.

Finally, they were alone and Dumbledore said quietly, “You will tell me what you are doing out in the corridors at three in the morning and how your house-elf knew Sirius Black was in the castle.”

_I am so dead. Goodbye, Quidditch Cup. Dumbledore is going to have to assign me a guard against Scarlet, because she’s going to murder me._

“Dobby knew because I told him,” she said nervously.

“I gathered as much when he showed up in my quarters.”

Charlie flinched. His tone was calm but his displeasure was evident. “I left Ravenclaw Tower because I noticed Crookshanks was missing. Hermione’s cat…he’s been acting oddly, so I thought maybe I could finally figure out why he’s so interested in Gryffindor Tower. That’s when I saw Sirius Black and he was going in the same direction.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. She just left out the Marauder’s Map. She’d only had it for six months—she couldn’t have it confiscated. Not when it was so useful to her.

“That does not explain why you _followed_ him.”

“I…I thought, if he got inside, and started attacking before you got there, I could distract him,” said Charlie weakly. “I could lead him away.”

There a long period of silence, where the only sound was their footsteps against the marble floor. “I am going to send word to the other professors,” he said at last. “Call Dobby. Tell him to take you back to Ravenclaw Tower. You will then be escorted by Professor Flitwick to the Great Hall. The moment after the castle is deemed secure, we are going to have a discussion, Charlotte.”

“Yes, sir,” said Charlie softly, shame building in her gut. “Dobby.”

He appeared before her. “Is everything okay, Miss?” asked Dobby anxiously.

Charlie removed the Cloak and muttered, “Not really. Can you take me to Ravenclaw Tower, please?” The next second she was in her common room. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “Honestly. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Miss must be careful,” said Dobby tearfully. “Black is after Charlotte Potter! Miss cannot be walking the castle at night!”

“So I’ve been told,” said Charlie with a wince. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to be more careful.”

Dobby regarded Charlie worriedly. “Please do, Miss.”

He Disapparated and Charlie hurried upstairs, shoving her Invisibility Cloak and the map into her trunk. A few minutes later Flitwick burst into the Tower, shouting for his students to report to the Great Hall immediately and for the Prefects to assist in guiding them through the corridors.

“You don’t think it’s Sirius Black again, do you?” asked Hermione fearfully as they walked quickly through the castle.

“I’ll tell you when we see Harry,” Charlie said wearily.

Hermione shot her a suspicious look. They entered the Great Hall and soon the Hufflepuffs joined them. Harry hurried over to his friends and said, “Seriously! How is he getting in?”

“I don’t know. But I have something to tell you.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Ron?” asked Hermione.

“He’s in the hospital wing.”

“What? Why?”

She led her friends into a corner and told them the whole story. Furious and horrified, Hermione slapped her arm. “You can’t do that, Charlie!”

“I know!”

“Why do you and Ron have something against my cat?”

“I don’t! I just think—”

“He could have killed you, Charlie!”

“Shh!” hissed Charlie. “Keep your voice down! I know, okay?”

“But none of this makes sense,” said Harry, carting his fingers through his hair. “He keeps going for Gryffindor Tower. He broke into the boy’s dorm, for Merlin’s sake.”

“I don’t know,” said Charlie, rubbing at her forehead. She could feel a headache coming on.

“Poor Ron,” whispered Hermione, tears in her eyes. “This is all just horrible.”

The Gryffindors showed up next, followed by the Slytherins. Neville looked like a man about to die and his dormmates were sending him sympathetic glances. The Weasleys arrived soon after, grim and scared. The twins sought out Ron’s best friends and went over to them.

“Where’s Ron?” asked Harry, feeling he ought to play dumb.

“Sirius Black got into his dorm,” said Fred heavily. “Ron woke up to see Black standing over him and he got stabbed. Seamus ran to grab us. Before we could even think about getting McGonagall she showed up with Dumbledore.”

"How did he get in?" Hermione asked.

"Neville kept a list of passwords for the week. He lost it and I guess Black found it," said George with a scowl.

"Is Ron going to be okay?” asked Charlie desperately.

George squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. “He’s going to be fine. Pomfrey stitched him up, so now he’s just recovering.”

"If I ever see that stupid git, I'll hand him right over to the Dementors,” said Fred murderously. “No one messes with my family."

“Do you lot want to sit with us?” asked George kindly.

“We’re fine here,” said Charlie. “But thank you.”

“Try to get some sleep, yeah? You’ll want to be rested to hear his whining tomorrow. And if you need anything through the night, anything at all, we’re just going to be over there.”

“Thanks,” said Charlie with a soft smile.

The twins went to join Percy and Ginny. Hermione’s bottom lip started to wobble. "Charlie, what if the last words I ever spoke to him were angry words?"

"He's fine. You have plenty of time to make up with him," Charlie promised.

"Do I feel sorry for Neville,” said Harry with a shudder. “McGonagall is going to kill him.”

Charlie stared over at Neville, who had his head buried in his hands. He sat alone, with his friends staring at him awkwardly. She walked over to him and gently touched his shoulder. Neville jumped, and when his tear-filled eyes met bright green, he said with a sob, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t—”

“I know,” said Charlie. “It was an accident. I heard all about Sir Cadogan’s random passwords. I don’t blame you.”

“How can you say that?” said Neville, distraught. “I’m the reason Black got into the Tower. I’m the reason Ron got hurt.”

“I’m the reason he’s here in the first place,” countered Charlie.

“W-what?”

“Sirius Black wants to kill me. It’s my fault he keeps trying to get into the castle.”

“No, it isn’t your fault!” said Neville at once. “I didn’t know he was after you.”

“Yeah. I defeated You-Know-Who. Black was his biggest supporter. I don’t know why he keeps going for Gryffindor Tower, but it all boils down to me, somehow. I’m sorry, Neville.”

Neville stared at the girl with wide eyes. “Why—why aren’t you mad? It’s because of me your best friend was hurt.”

“Well, if it’s not my fault Black keeps trying to get into the castle, by that logic it’s not your fault Ron got hurt,” said Charlie firmly. “How were you to know all this would happen by keeping a cheat sheet for yourself?”

“McGonagall is so angry with me,” Neville whispered. “So are Ron’s siblings.”

“They’re scared. Sometimes, being scared translates into anger. Ron’s siblings will forgive you and I promise Ron will as well. As for Professor McGonagall, yeah, she’s probably not going to show much mercy. But just remember that she’s always going to care about you.”

Neville took a shaky breath and wiped the moisture from his cheeks. “T-thanks, Charlie.”

“You’re welcome.” She gave him a strong hug. “I know it’ll be hard, but try not to worry about it.”

She stood up and as she went back to Harry and Hermione, her eyes roamed the Great Hall. Professors and students filled the space, whispering madly, their faces tight with fear.

She didn’t understand. Black had tried breaking into Gryffindor Tower not once, but twice, and he infiltrated the boys’ dormitory. Was he so far gone that he completely forgot the layout of the castle? Did Black know she and Ron were close? Was this an attempt to threaten her?

How many more people would he hurt before he finally succeeded in killing her?


	12. Busted

Somehow Charlie managed to drift off. Her sleep was plagued by dreams of Sirius Black hunting through the castle, Crookshanks trotting by his side, and the Grim flickering in and out of her fabrication. Something tapped against her shoulder and she sprang upwards with gasp.

"It's only me, Miss Potter,” said Flitwick quickly. “Sorry for startling you.”

“It’s okay,” said Charlie, her heart racing so fast that it hurt. “Is everything okay?”

“It appears Mr. Weasley is very insistent on being able to see you and the others. Madam Pomfrey’s usual threats are having no impact.”

“We can see him?” asked Charlie hopefully.

“You can.”

Charlie leaned over and shook the shoulders of Harry and Hermione. "Guys! Wake up! We’re allowed to visit Ron.”

It did not take long for them to rouse and the two followed Charlie and Flitwick out of the Great Hall and down the corridors. The moment they entered the infirmary Ron sat up against his pillows and beamed at his friends.

“Hey!”

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked softly as she neared the edge of his bed.

"Okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore. But I’m not supposed to strain it for a while.”

“And I will know if you do, Mr. Weasley,” spoke Pomfrey. She set her hands on her hips and said sharply, “Now that your friends are here, will you try to sleep?”

“Yes,” said Ron sheepishly. “Thank you, Madam Pomfrey.”

“I will leave them with you,” Flitwick told the medic-witch.

Flitwick left and Pomfrey regarded the Golden Quartet. “I will be in my office. If you need me, just give a shout. You can have a _brief_ chat, but if the lot of you aren’t quiet after fifteen minutes, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Charlie with a nod.

They were left alone and the three thirteen-year-olds settled around the redhead's bedside. "Oh, Ron. I'm sorry about all this," said Charlie guiltily.

Ron arched an eyebrow. "Last I checked you weren’t the one who stabbed me. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

“Charlie has something to tell you,” piped up Harry.

Charlie told Ron about spotting Sirius Black on the Marauder’s Map and chasing after him. Ron gaped at her. “You followed him?” he said in disbelief.

“It’s stupid, I know. I’m not looking forward to the discussion Professor Dumbledore wants to have with me,” said Charlie with a groan.

“Whatever you do, don’t give up the map,” said Ron with wide eyes.

Hermione glared at him. “She can’t lie to Professor Dumbledore, Ronald!”

“I already told him what happened and I left out the map,” Charlie admitted.

“Good,” said Ron in relief.

“But you have to hand it over!” exclaimed Hermione. “They’ll be able to find out the next time Sirius Black is in the castle.”

“I’ll keep an eye on it,” said Charlie stubbornly. “If he manages to get in again, I’ll hand the map over.”

“Why wait?” demanded Hermione.

“It’s just…I have a feeling that I’m missing something massive. Why does he keep going for Gryffindor? And why the male dorms? He’s not going to find me that way.”

“I…I don’t know,” admitted Hermione, her brow furrowed.

“What happened?” Harry asked Ron. “Did you see Black?”

“Yeah, but just barely. This ripping noise woke me up. When I opened my eyes, Sirius Black was standing over me with a knife. I screamed, and then there was this horrible pain in my shoulder, and Black was gone.”

“Did you see him stab you?” asked Charlie.

Ron frowned. “Er, no. I wasn’t properly awake so everything was kinda hazy. Kinda glad I didn’t see it coming, though.”

“And then?” pressed Harry.

“Black rushed out of the room, I guess, and my shouts woke up everyone else. That’s it, really. You know the rest.” Ron paused and said, “Actually, wait, there is something I don’t know. How did Black get into Gryffindor Tower in the first place?”

"Neville,” said Charlie. “He’d been keeping a list of passwords for the week so he wouldn’t get confused. He lost it and Black found it.”

Ron winced. “Poor Neville! McGonagall is probably going to make him scrub out bedpans for the rest of the year.”

“But how did Black get the paper to begin with?” muttered Charlie. “I mean, out of all the places in the castle Neville could have possibly lost it, he just finds it?”

“Sure,” said Ron. “He just got lucky.”

Charlie stared at her hands. Maybe Black did get lucky. But she didn’t understand why he didn’t kill everyone in Ron’s dorm when he was discovered. She certainly wasn’t complaining, but it didn’t make sense. He was a mass murderer. He certainly would have been able to kill the entire dorm with one spell and escape before Dumbledore arrived.

“I’m sorry,” said Hermione, dragging Charlie away from her thoughts. “You could have died tonight, and my last words to you would have been angry ones. I’d never be able to live with myself if that happened. I’m sorry about Scabbers. I really am.”

“Thanks,” said Ron. “I shouldn’t have said that stuff about Crookshanks. I still hate him, mind you, but I’ll try not to badmouth him.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” said Hermione, not entirely happy but willing to make a compromise.

Charlie and Harry exchanged grins. They were a whole unit once more.

...

Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick were the last staff members to finish their patrol in the early hours of the morning. They were all discouraged that Black had once again eluded them. "This can't go on, Albus," said McGonagall, her face still not quite having its full colour after Ron’s close encounter.

"I know, Minerva. But I must confess I am not entirely sure on how Black is getting into the castle.”

"He could have been killed," whispered McGonagall.

"But he wasn't," said Dumbledore gently. "Rest assured, I will not allow this to happen again. I will investigate this matter fully. I will not rest until I find out why this keeps happening, without us or the Dementors being aware.” He peered at Flitwick and asked, “Filius, how is Charlotte?"

"She’s fine. She and the others were delighted to see Mr. Weasley. I’m sure they’re still in the hospital wing.”

"Do you want assistance checking the passageways?" asked McGonagall.

Dumbledore shook his head. He did not plan on inspecting the secret passages he knew about right away. His discussion with Charlotte came first. "No. I have another matter to attend to.”

“We’ll go check on our Houses, then,” said Flitwick.

“Please do.”

They went their separate ways and Dumbledore strode to the infirmary. He paused in the entryway, his heart soaring at the sight before him. Ron was asleep, his head buried into his pillows. Hermione was in one of the chairs directly across from his bed, her hand resting against his arm. Harry was in the other, his body slumped against Hermione’s side, his head tucked into her shoulder. Charlie was on the floor, her weight supported against Harry’s knees as she slept.

The dark cloud that had been hanging over him since Black's infiltration dissipated, the warmth of the sight before him overpowering the cold fear of almost losing one of his students.

"They wouldn't leave," Pomfrey informed, approaching him.

Dumbledore smiled knowingly at her. "And you didn't want them too."

"This past year, we've all been reminded of how Black betrayed his dearest friends." Pomfrey stared at the four snoozing children. "It's nice to see that undying loyalty still exists."

"We have nothing to worry about with these four," agreed Dumbledore, and that relieved him more than anyone would ever know. “I do hate to wake her, but I need to speak with Charlotte.”

Pomfrey nodded and went over to the girl. She gave a firm tap to Charlie’s head and she jerked awake, blinking rapidly. “What’s wrong?”

“The Headmaster wishes to speak with you.”

Charlie’s stomach dropped as she glanced over at Dumbledore. “Right.”

She stood up and followed after Dumbledore. “Black is no longer in the castle,” he informed. “As such, I feel it is safe enough to allow you to go to Ravenclaw Tower alone so you may change for the day. I will see you in my office when you are ready. The password is Sugar Quills.”

Charlie nodded and hurried off. He didn’t seem to be as angry as he had been last night, but that brought Charlie little relief. Quidditch was on the line, and though she understood she deserved it if it was taken away, she held onto a sliver of hope.

Ten minutes later Charlie was outside Dumbledore’s office. She knocked on the door and nudged it open when she was granted entry. She walked stiffly across the floor and lowered herself to sit across from him. “How is Mr. Weasley doing?” asked Dumbledore kindly.

“He’s fine,” said Charlie, his concern for her best friend causing her relax slightly.

“Thanks to you.”

“Well, maybe,” said Charlie reluctantly. “Um…aren’t you mad?”

“I am not angry with you, Charlotte,” assured Dumbledore. “I was angry with Sirius Black, for intruding upon my school and harming my students. When I noticed you were there, I imagined all the things Black would have done if you made your presence known to him. I am sorry if I frightened you.”

“It seems I frightened you too,” said Charlie softly. “I’m sorry, really.”

“I know you are. Yet this is the third time you have been caught making the same infraction.”

“They were all accidents, really,” said Charlie helplessly. “The other times, anyway. Hagrid just seemed so sad and we wanted to make sure he was okay. It was still before curfew so we thought—well, it doesn’t matter, it was still wrong. And on Halloween, I was on my way back to Ravenclaw Tower, but I heard the shouting from Gryffindor and just wanted to see what was going on. I was with a group of people heading towards a bigger group of people so I didn’t think of it as dangerous. But I should have thought about what could have happened to me in the short distance between Ravenclaw Tower and Gryffindor Tower.”

Dumbledore listened to her nervous reasoning with rapt attention. “And last night?”

“There’s no excuse,” confessed Charlie.

“If even part of your Invisibility Cloak had been dislodged, you would have revealed yourself to Black. Do you understand why going after him in the manner you did is unacceptable? I am doing everything in my power to keep you protected but I cannot succeed if you do not cooperate.”

The disappointment in his voice caused tears to well in Charlie’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “It’s just…this whole thing is my fault.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m the reason Sirius Black is trying so hard to get into Hogwarts. I’m the reason the Fat Lady got ruined. I’m the reason Ron got hurt. Black wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. And I just couldn’t…I couldn’t bear it if Black had started attacking Neville, Dean, Seamus, Ron and all the other Gryffindors. That’s why I went after him. I know it was wrong. But I needed to be there, to help save them until you got there, because none of this would be happening if he didn’t want to kill me so badly.”

The tears spilled down her cheeks and Dumbledore’s heart wrenched. She cared so deeply about others. Whenever Charlotte Potter landed herself in trouble, it usually boiled down to that one simple reason. He leaned over and clasped her hand. “What Sirius Black does,” said Dumbledore firmly, “is not your fault. You are only thirteen. You should not have to worry about a murderer targeting you, and you will not shoulder the guilt that he refuses to carry. I understand why you chose to follow him. But do you understand why you cannot do it again?”

“Yes,” whispered Charlie.

“Promise me that you won’t.”

“I promise, Professor.”

“And there will be no more midnight adventures in following Miss Granger’s cat.”

Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled brightly and Charlie turned red. She eased back against the cushioned chair and said, with such comical perplexion Dumbledore nearly laughed out loud, “There’s just something about that cat, Professor. But I’ll leave him alone.”

“I think it will be more fun to speculate his whereabouts,” said Dumbledore, rising from his chair. “It is time to rouse everyone. You may return to the infirmary, if you wish.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks.”

They went down the stairs together and Charlie headed off to the hospital wing. She spotted Harry and Hermione sitting in the corridor, backs against the wall. “Did you get kicked out?” she asked in bemusement.

“No. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley just arrived and we thought we should give them some privacy,” said Hermione.

“Where did you go?” asked Harry curiously.

Charlie slid down the wall until she was in a sitting position, her knees tucked against her chest. “Professor Dumbledore took me to his office for a brief chat about my…less than stellar decisions.”

“Good,” said Hermione with a sniff.

“Did he take away Quidditch?”

“He didn’t mention it and I wasn’t going to bring it up,” said Charlie feelingly.

“Good thinking,” approved Harry.

“What did Professor Dumbledore say?” asked Hermione.

Charlie recounted the conversation practically word for word. Harry was stricken. “How could you think any of this is your fault?”

“It isn’t!” said Hermione hotly. “You didn’t ask for any of this, and you can’t control what Black does.”

“I appreciate that,” said Charlie with a tired smile. “Ron’s parents are probably going to be here a while. Professor Dumbledore went to tell everyone it’s safe to leave the Great Hall. Do you two want to get ready for breakfast?”

“Yes,” said Harry at once, getting to his feet. “I’m starving.”

It was thirty minutes later when they returned to the Great Hall. The sleeping bags were gone and the tables were in their usual spots. The conversation was low and subdued, and Charlie figured Dumbledore must have informed everyone of Ron’s injury.

Harry set his hands on his hips, surveyed the interior, and said, “You know, it’s starting to feel like we live in here.”

…

They encountered Mrs. and Mr. Weasley after breakfast. They were just leaving the hospital wing as the trio were arriving and Mrs. Weasley wasted no time in pulling them into a strong hug.

"Thank goodness you kids are all right!" she cried.

“We’re fine,” said Harry, wheezing slightly from Mrs. Weasley’s grip.

“How’s Ron doing this morning?” asked Charlie.

“Perfectly fine,” said Mr. Weasley. His face was pale and there were faint bags under his eyes. “We wanted to come last night, but McGonagall promised us that he was no longer in pain and would make a full recovery.”

“We thought it best to give him some quiet time,” said Mrs. Weasley. “We were told how you stayed with him all night, and here you are again. Thanks so much for caring about my boy.”

“Of course,” said Charlie. “We care about all of you.”

Mrs. Weasley’s eyes were wet. “Sweet girl, thank you.”

“Have you eaten?” asked Mr. Weasley.

“Yes. We thought we might see Ron for a bit, if Madam Pomfrey will let us,” spoke Hermione.

“We won’t keep you from him,” said Mr. Weasley, squeezing her shoulder. When the trio was out of sight Mr. Weasley turned to his wife. "Do you see why I wanted Charlotte to be on her guard?"

"I can't understand it." Mrs. Weasley bit her lip. "How in Merlin’s name did Black get into Hogwarts? Why the boys’ dormitory?”

“Maybe he was trying to send Charlotte a message,” said Mr. Weasley grimly. “I don’t know how he could have found out how close the two are, but I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Oh, when I think of what that brute almost did to Ron, I—"

"He's fine," Mr. Weasley soothed. "I'm sure Albus is doing everything in his power to secure the school."

"Rest assured that I am." Dumbledore approached the pair and they met in the middle of the corridor. "I feel that I have failed in my duties as Headmaster."

"Albus Dumbledore, don't say things like that!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "You are a powerful and wise wizard, but not even you can predict the actions of Sirius Black."

"I thought I had every protection possible surrounding Hogwarts,” said Dumbledore softly. “Yet Black continues to elude them.”

Mrs. Weasley shuddered. "I get an awful sensation when I enter through those gates. The Dementors are horrendous.”

"I don't like them any more than you do, Molly. But Cornelius seems to think that they will be of great assistance."

Mr. Weasley sighed. "Some help they were. Black’s gotten by them twice. What does Fudge say to that?”

“Not much,” said Dumbledore with a wry smile.

“What are you going to do now, Albus?"

"The Fat Lady is back where she should be. She wouldn’t return without a personal guard, so I’ve assigned two security trolls to her. The passwords have all been changed. Filius is teaching the front doors what Sirius Black looks like. I will patrol the corridors nightly. Now that a student has been injured, I will not rest until I am assured of their safety. I would have never been able to live with myself if Ronald had been..."

"He wasn't," Mrs. Weasley interjected sharply. "And I have full faith that you will do everything in your power to keep Black out.”

“I am grateful for your support, Molly. I only hope my power is going to be enough.”

...

Ron was released from the hospital wing and in an attempt to avoid the persistent questioning he hid out in the library with his friends. He reviewed his Potions textbook half-heartedly. “This isn’t what I had in mind when Pomfrey freed me.”

“You can always go back to your common room,” said Harry with a smirk.

“No way. They won’t leave me alone. The combined efforts of my siblings aren’t enough to scare them off, and trust me, that’s saying something.”

“Are you still going to be able to go to the hearing?”

“Yeah. My parents weren’t sure, but I told them I’d be fine.” Ron glanced at Hermione. “I’m sorry for not being around to help you make notes for Hagrid,” he muttered.

“It’s okay,” said Hermione. “You had your own speech to worry about, and you’re here now, that’s what matters. Charlie and Harry were more than enough help.”

“Hagrid really laid into Ron,” said Harry with a grin.

“He did,” agreed Ron. “Said he checked in on you once and you were crying.”

“You didn’t tell me that,” said Charlie in surprise.

“He just picked a bad day to come see me, that’s all,” said Hermione with a frown. “It doesn’t matter. Everything is fine, and Hagrid has his materials and Ron has a really good speech prepared.”

“How’s Neville doing?” Charlie asked. “I can’t imagine he’s too happy after the Howler his grandmother sent him.”

“Oh, the Howler is the least of his problems,” said Ron. “McGonagall gave him his sentence.”

Harry gave his full attention, eyes wide with a twisted curiosity. “What did she say?”

“No one is allowed to give him the password for the rest of the year. He has to sit outside the common room until someone lets him in. She also banned him from the rest of the Hogsmeade visits for the year.”

“Well, he’ll be in good company,” said Charlie with a sigh. “Though it’s all a bit overboard for an accident, don’t you think?”

Harry shrugged. "If someone was the cause, however indirectly, of the almost-murder of a student, then you would probably go overboard as well."

“I was almost murdered,” said Ron slowly, a sort of dark pride on his features. “I survived Sirius Black!”

Hermione looked like she wanted to hit him. “That’s not something to brag about!”

...

The next Hogsmeade visit was posted to the notice boards in the common rooms and outside the Great Hall. Ron waited until Hermione wasn’t around before asking Charlie, “Are you coming?”

Charlie gaped at him. “Are you crazy? Of course not!”

“Why not?”

Harry rolled his eyes. “I don’t know. She was almost caught last time and she just got an official warning from Dumbledore. I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t want to sneak out with us.”

“Shh!” hissed Charlie, looking over her shoulder. But the corridor they were in was empty. “Do you want me to get kicked off the Quidditch team?”

“That’s only if Flitwick catches you,” dismissed Ron.

“I am insanely lucky no one reported my presence in Hogsmeade the first time,” said Charlie with a wince.

“No one knows you’re not supposed to be there. Why would they report you?” said Ron impatiently. “Just stay under the Cloak this time.”

“No.”

Ron frowned. "Come on. If you don’t go, I won’t tell you lot how the hearing went.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “Whoa. Blackmail.”

“For someone who hates Slytherins, you’re really acting like one,” said Charlie in annoyance. “I’ll just ask Hagrid how it went.”

“What if it doesn’t go well? Asking him about it will just make him more upset than he’s going to be.”

Charlie glared at Harry. “Would you like to defend me? Tell him how this is a terrible idea?”

“Of course it’s a terrible idea,” replied Harry. “But that usually hasn’t stopped us before.”

“You can take Neville with you,” persuaded Ron. “He’s been really down lately. A trip to Hogsmeade will cheer him up.”

“Wow,” said Charlie flatly.

“Oh, way to hit her in the soft spot,” said Harry with a grin.

“Think about it,” insisted Ron.

“Fine, whatever,” said Charlie, who was disturbed to realize she had a tiny inclination to consider it. “Do not tell Hermione. She’ll kill me.”

As the days wore on it became clear to Charlie that Hermione had every intention to skip the Hogsmeade visit so she could continue to tackle her seemingly endless pile of schoolwork. Neville only grew more depressed and desolate and there was nothing much that could lighten his mood.

_Dumbledore will ground me to Ravenclaw Tower. Flitwick will take away Quidditch. Scarlet will hate me for the rest of my life._

And despite these thoughts churning through her head, she found herself approaching Ron in the Entrance Hall the day of the Hogsmeade visit. The hearing had passed and Charlie figured by Hagrid’s absence at breakfast that it did not go well.

“Thirty minutes,” she told Ron with a resigned expression. “I’ll stay with you for thirty minutes.”

“Yes!” Ron grinned widely. “Awesome. I’ll meet you outside Honeydukes.”

“You’re a bad influence.”

“Blame it on Fred and George. They’re the ones that gave you the Marauder’s Map. I’m just helping you utilize it.”

Charlie spent most of the morning in her common room, polishing up some homework. Eventually the older Ravenclaws started to leave and Charlie stood. Hermione did not register her in the slightest and she was able to slip up to her dorm and grab her Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder’s Map.

_This is so stupid. I’m so stupid._

She tucked her Cloak under her shirt and shoved the map into her pocket. She wandered out into the corridors and headed for the statue. She had just reached it when a voice called out to her.

"Charlie!"

Charlie jumped and whirled around. "Neville! Hey!"

The boy smiled happily at her. "I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either! Do you want to play some Exploding Snap?"

Well, perhaps this was fate. “Listen, Neville—”

"What have we here?"

Neville gave a squeak of fright and hid behind Charlie. Charlie hoped she didn’t look as startled as she felt as Snape loomed over them. "Hello, Professor."

Snape arched an eyebrow. "A strange place to be hanging around, wouldn't you say, Potter?"

"We were just about to continue on our way,” said Charlie quickly. “Sorry.”

She dragged Neville down the corridor. “What were you going to say?” he asked when they were out of Snape’s hearing range.

“I'm actually going to go to Hogsmeade."

Neville’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But I didn’t think you’d be allowed to go. Because of Black.”

“You’re right. I’m not supposed to be leaving the castle,” admitted Charlie. “But, well, Ron really wanted me to go to Hogsmeade, and I know a secret passage that’ll take me directly to Honeydukes.”

“It’s a secret passage that the professors don’t know about?” asked Neville with wide eyes.

“It doesn’t seem like it. I don’t think it’s the one Black is using to get into the castle, because he would need the password to get out, and I can’t see how he would know that.”

“I guess you’re leaving, then,” said Neville sadly.

“I was actually hoping you would come with me,” said Charlie kindly.

“I would love to, but won’t we get caught?” asked Neville nervously. 

“There are a few things you’re going to have to promise me,” said Charlie carefully.

"Okay. What do you want me to promise?"

“Don’t tell anyone about this secret passage, cover your ears when I say the password, and don’t tell anyone about my Invisibility Cloak.”

Charlie brought the shimmering folds into view and wrapped it partly around her body. Neville gasped in astonishment. “Wow! Those are so rare!”

“I know. It was my dad’s.”

“That’s really nice,” said Neville softly. “Of course I won’t tell anyone, Charlie. I wouldn’t want that taken away from you.”

Charlie trusted Neville and knew he wouldn’t go back on his word. “So long as we stay under the Cloak, we should be fine. But I don’t want to stay longer than thirty minutes.” She peeked cautiously around the corner and was relieved to see Snape was gone. “You ready?”

“Yeah!”

She led him back over to the statue. “All right, I’m going say the password now.”

He promptly covered his ears. She spoke the password and the hump slid back. She motioned for Neville to go first and he hesitantly climbed through the hole. Charlie went after him and she pulled out her wand.

_“Lumos!”_

“It’s so long,” said Neville, staring at the stretch of shadows before him.

“It’s not a pleasant walk,” said Charlie, making a face.

The boy puffed his way along the passage and when they emerged through the trapdoor he gasped, “That took _forever!_ "

“I know, right?”

She swung the Invisibility Cloak over them and they crept out of the cellar. They inched their way through Honeydukes and Charlie spotted Harry and Ron through the window. She went outside and stood close to them. “Hey,” she whispered.

Ron jumped. "Bloody—! Don't scare me like that! What took you so long?"

"That passageway isn’t an easy trek. I brought Neville with me, by the way.”

"Hi, Ron! Hi, Harry!”

Ron beamed. “Brilliant. Come on, let’s do some shopping. I’m running low on Chocolate Frogs.”

They entered Honeydukes and when Charlie and Neville spotted something they wanted, they relayed it to Ron and Harry with the promise to pay them back later. When they were outside, they would huddle somewhere private so Harry and Ron could pass them their sweets, which they stashed in their pockets. They went into Zonko’s next and Charlie and Neville were careful not to run into anyone as they browsed the shelves.

“Where next?” asked Harry as they finished.

“I haven’t gotten a chance to check out the Shrieking Shack,” spoke Ron.

“I don’t know,” said Neville uncertainly. “I’ve heard terrible rumours about that place.”

“We won’t go inside,” promised Charlie.

They walked to the Shrieking Shack, which was an old, run-down house, which looked especially ominous against the white snow. Charlie frowned up at it. “Yeah. It’s definitely creepy.”

"Hey, Weasley!"

Neville made a strangled sound and Charlie flinched. “Oh, great.”

Pansy and Draco stood at the crest of the hill of which the Shrieking Shack was perched upon. “I daresay this house is a vast improvement compared to yours,” cackled Pansy. “Looking to move in?”

“Shut up!” snapped Harry.

“Did Weasel tell you how the hearing went?” Draco asked. When Harry went tight-lipped, he beamed. “Didn’t think so. I bet he’s even embarrassed by that brute’s humiliating display.”

“The stupid bird is getting the axe!” said Pansy gleefully.

“Get lost!” roared Ron.

Charlie was frozen. She had known, when she didn’t see Hagrid that morning, that something must have went wrong. But she still had hope that Buckbeak wouldn’t be put to death. Draco and Pansy, the ones who caused the whole incident in the first place, were _happy_ about it. They were happy that a life was going to be extinguished, a life Hagrid loved dearly.

The snow around them all exploded as the anger surged within her. Pansy and Draco were thrown from their feet. Harry and Ron ducked, covering their faces against the spray of ice. Neville lunged backwards, startled, and tripped over Charlie’s foot. He grabbed the back of her shirt and she went down with him, lying in a heap in the cold.

Pansy let out an ear-piercing scream.

Charlie glanced up and stilled.

Her foot was sticking out of the Cloak, stark against the pure white landscape, and very obvious there was no body attached.

The Slytherins took off running.

“Bloody hell!” hollered Ron. “Charlie—”

“We’re leaving!” cried Charlie. “Come on, Neville.”

They sprinted through Hogsmeade, with Neville wheezing behind her. They reached Honeydukes and they shuffled their way to the cellar. Charlie flung up the hatch and they descended. When they were safely in the passage Charlie flung off the Cloak.

“I’ll go first,” she said hurriedly. “Wait a few minutes before coming after me, and be very careful before coming out of the statue.”

“Okay,” squeaked Neville.

She raced down the passage and when she reached the end, she took a minute to catch her breath. She dropped her Cloak, for if a professor happened to catch her in the corridors, she didn’t want them to find the Invisibility Cloak on her. She checked the Marauder’s Map and paled when she noticed Snape was moving far too quickly towards the statue for her liking.

_Oh geez._

She frantically wiped it clean and practically catapulted herself out of the hole. She hit the floor and started walking as casually as possible in Snape’s direction. She came to a halt when he rounded the corner and his eyes narrowed.

“Hi,” she said politely. “It seems we keep running into each other.”

Not amused, he crooked a finger at her. Charlie reluctantly followed him down the corridors and into his office, where she obediently took a seat. “Sir?”

Snape crossed his arms and studied her. "I have just heard something rather peculiar. Mr. Malfoy and Miss Parkinson just reported to me that they were at the Shrieking Shack, talking to Mr. Weasley, who was with Mr. Lupin. All of a sudden the snow around them exploded, and when it settled, they found a shoe.”

“Er, Ron’s shoe?”

“No, Miss Potter. A shoe that very clearly had no body attached to it. They were terrified that they had somehow angered an apparition.”

_Well, that’s not entirely wrong. They angered someone, all right._

She really needed to learn to keep her anger from unleashing into accidental magic.

“Care to tell me how that is possible?"

"I wouldn’t know, sir.”

“Where have you been this afternoon?”

“Wandering around, mostly. Nowhere specific. Just trying to pass the time.”

"Can anyone confirm that?"

“Probably not. I think almost everyone has gone to Hogsmeade, and I haven’t seen any first or second-years in my wanderings.”

“Where’s Longbottom?”

_If I’m lucky, back in his common room._

“I don’t know,” said Charlie honestly.

Snape slammed his hands against his desk and Charlie jumped. "Miss Potter, the entire Ministry of Magic and this castle is doing everything in its power to keep you safe from Sirius Black,” growled Snape. “What I’m gathering is that you decided to go gallivanting off to Hogsmeade and ignore the rules laid out for you. Perhaps you are like your father, as I had initially thought."

Charlie winced. They were back on some familiar ground. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about my father or the choices he made, sir,” she said softly.

"He made choices that nearly got me killed, Miss Potter."

Charlie frowned at her hands. She recalled the time Dumbledore told her James had saved Snape's life. It had never occurred to her that her father and his gang may have been the ones to put him in that position in the first place.

"Turn out your pockets," ordered Snape.

_Oh boy. This is not going to go well._

She unearthed the many sweets and arranged them on the desk. Her fingers brushed the parchment that contained the map. Praying that it would remain blank she set it with the rest of the evidence.

“What is this?” asked Snape, prodding the parchment suspiciously.

"Just an extra piece," Charlie said idly.

"So you won't mind if I just toss it in the fire?"

“Er, well, kind of. It is my parchment.”

“You have full rolls of it, Miss Potter. I fail to see why this one is special. Does it help you get out of the castle undetected?”

“With all due respect, Professor, if that’s what it’s capable of, I would suspect I wouldn’t get caught.”

Snape glared sharply at her. “We shall see.”

He aimed his wand at it and started casting a variety of spells in an attempt to force it to reveal the secrets he believed it hid. Charlie was horrified as inky black script slid over the parchment; a scathing insult that caused Snape to turn white.

 _Oh, please stop,_ Charlie begged silently.

But three more insults appeared, each worse than the last, courtesy of Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail and Prongs. Charlie watched apprehensively as Snape walked silently to the fireplace and threw some Floo powder into the flames. He called into it and seconds later Remus stepped out. Snape held out the map.

"Miss Potter happened to have this in her pockets. Since it is capable of speaking back, I thought you might be able to assess whether or not the source is Dark Magic.”

His voice dripped with acid and Remus picked up the map, slowly twirling it in his hands. "Not at all, Severus. It seems it merely insults those who tamper with it. More of a joke, really.”

“I doubt this is something that came from a joke shop,” said Snape furiously. “I am more interested if she received it directly from its creators.”

Charlie was utterly baffled. “I don’t know who any of those people are.”

Before Remus or Snape could respond, the door burst open and Charlie jumped in her seat. Ron and Harry rushed in, red-faced from their sprint back to the castle. “We got her that!” wheezed Ron, gesturing towards the candy. “A long time ago.”

“She’s very good at rationing,” gasped Harry.

“And how,” said Snape in a slow, dangerous voice, “would you know to come to Miss Potter’s rescue?”

“We heard Malfoy and Parkinson as they were running back to the castle,” panted Ron. “Screaming about a foot without a body. We didn’t see a thing. We thought you might think—well, because of you know—but she didn’t.”

“Very articulate,” said Snape bitingly.

“But it explains your question,” said Remus pleasantly. “It seems the matter is resolved. Come along, you lot.”

The three wasted no time in following Remus out of Snape’s office. “Professor—” began Charlie, but Remus cut her off by raising a hand.

"I happen to know that this map was confiscated many years ago. I care not that it ended up in your possession, but I'm stunned that you didn't turn it over to a professor considering the circumstances. I'll be holding on to this, Charlotte."

Charlie nodded. It was probably for the best. "Yes, sir. Um, why did Professor Snape think I had gotten it from the creators themselves?”

"Making you run all around Hogwarts grounds is the sort of thing they would have found funny.”

Ron looked awed. "You knew the makers?"

"I've met them," Remus said vaguely. "From now on, Charlotte, I will not cover your blatant rule-breaking. I would have thought that you would have appreciated your parents’ sacrifice for you much more than this. But I was wrong.” His gaze levelled on Harry and the boy paled. “Tomorrow morning, you and I are going to have a talk. Enjoy the time with your friends while you still have it.”

He disappeared around the corner and Harry groaned. “And I was worried about _you_ getting caught.”

Ron flinched. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I shouldn't have convinced you to come with us."

“I knew it was a bad idea. I still did it. Come on, we better check on Neville.”

“You left him in the statue?” asked Ron in bafflement.

“Let’s just say I’m not entirely certain he came out of his own accord.”

They approached the statue and Ron muttered, “We’ll keep watch.”

Ron stationed himself at one end of the corridor while Harry went to the other. After a few seconds they gave Charlie the go-ahead and she said the password. Sure enough, Neville was still there, white and shivering with fear. His face crumpled with relief at the sight of her.

“Charlie—”

“Shh, not now.” She reached a hand down and pulled him up. “I’d suggest going back to your common room. If anyone asks, anyone at all, we didn’t spend the day together, and you were somewhere in the castle. Preferably your dorm. I doubt anyone else went into your dorm during the Hogsmeade visit.”

“Okay,” said Neville, seeming to gather his wits now that the danger seemed to have passed. “Charlie? Thank you. I really did have fun.”

Charlie smiled. “Me too. Up until the end, anyway.”

Neville scampered off and the three began to walk down the corridors. They encountered Hermione, who had a letter clutched in her hand and her face was streaked with tears. Harry frowned. “What’s wrong, Hermione?”

“Hagrid just got the official notice,” said Hermione. “He lost. Buckbeak is going to be executed.”

“Well,” said Harry heavily. “This day just keeps getting better and better.”


	13. The Quidditch Cup

“I guess Draco and Pansy weren’t running their mouths,” said Charlie grimly. “Did the hearing go that badly, Ron?”

“I didn’t think so,” he answered. “I mean, Hagrid was nervous and all, but he still said everything Hermione wrote down for him. I thought my speech was good, too.”

“Mr. Malfoy probably frightened everyone into doing what he wanted,” said Harry with a scowl. “The git.”

Charlie shook her head. “I guess no one has the ability to overpower Lucius Malfoy. He can fold everyone into his pocket with a snap of his fingers.”

“Isn’t there anything else we can do?” asked Ron.

“There will be an appeal, but it won’t matter. With the Malfoys involved, no one is going to change their minds,” said Hermione bitterly.

“We have to try,” said Charlie firmly. “We’ll work together and do our very best to give Hagrid what he needs to convince the Committee that Mr. Malfoy is wrong and Buckbeak isn’t a danger.”

"Hagrid’s probably a mess right now,” said Hermione with a sniff. “But there’s no way we can visit him. The sun is about to set and you know we’re not allowed out near dark.”

“We’ll see him tomorrow in Care of Magical Creatures,” said Charlie.

“Do you guys want to do something fun to cheer ourselves up?” asked Harry. “Before I’m grounded for life?”

Hermione frowned at him. “What did you do?”

“I technically didn’t do anything,” said Harry with a snort. “I just kept a secret.”

Charlie explained to Hermione the events of the afternoon and her face turned red with anger. She took a few steps towards them and they recoiled as she shouted, “Have you lost your minds? Can I not leave you alone for a minute?”

“You can’t leave me with them, apparently,” said Charlie with a wince. “I’m sorry, Hermione. I know it was stupid.”

“At least you didn’t get Neville in any more trouble,” said Hermione with a huff. “If Professor McGonagall found out, I think she really might have expelled him.”

“I’ve gotten in trouble four times for basically the same thing and I’m still here,” said Charlie.

Harry raised a brow. “That’s only because if they expel you, you’re going to the Dursleys, and you’ll be dead.”

“The Dursleys won’t kill me,” said Charlie with a straight face.

“Not what I meant.”

“You’re actually really lucky,” said Ron thoughtfully. “Dumbledore didn’t take away Quidditch, and if he did tell Flitwick about it, he probably told him to leave you be. And Lupin is keeping the Marauder’s Map a secret, so Flitwick and Dumbledore aren’t going to find out.”

“Very lucky,” said Charlie, unable to express just how much relief she felt at not having the chance to partake in the Quidditch Cup taken away.

Hermione looked fed up with the lot of them. “You really need to sort out your priorities!”

...

Harry, understandably, wasn’t particularly hungry the following morning. He picked at his rolls, his stomach turning with unease. During the night he wished Remus had taken him off to his quarters the second they left Snape’s office. At least the whole thing would have been done and over with.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he nearly sprang to his feet, thinking it was his uncle come to collect him. “Someone’s jumpy,” said Charlie.

Harry glared. “Yeah, I wonder why.”

“I’m sorry,” she said sincerely. “You didn’t really do anything wrong.”

“I’m afraid he thinks otherwise,” muttered Harry. “Is he looking at me? I’ve been too nervous to check.”

Charlie peeked over her shoulder and hastily whipped her gaze back around when she found Remus staring straight at them. “Oh yeah. I better get back to my table. Good luck, Harry. I’ll see you in class.”

“Bye.”

A few minutes later Remus descended from the High Table. He approached Harry and motioned for his ward to come with him. Before Harry left the Great Hall he shot a swift look at Charlie, who watched after him with sympathy, and mouthed, ‘I’m dead’.

The walk to his uncle's chambers seemed to take forever. Remus was silent the whole way and that only served to heighten Harry’s nerves. They entered his quarters; a circular main room with wooden floors covered in thick red and gold rugs. There was a singular hallway, which led to two rooms and a bathroom. The extra room was for Harry, if he ever wanted to spend the night, and Harry suspected this was probably where he would be staying for the foreseeable future.

Harry went over to sit in a squashy burgundy armchair by the fire. Remus stood in front of him, his lips in a sharp frown. “How long have you known about the map?”

Harry did a frantic calculation in his head. “A few months.”

"Do you know what that map is capable of?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

"It shows every possible way to get in and out of Hogwarts," said Harry reluctantly. “It also showed everyone who is on castle grounds.”

Remus ran his fingers through his hair and said in frustration, “All this time you had that map in your possession, it never occurred to you to hand it to a professor?”

“Hermione mentioned it,” admitted Harry, fingers twitching anxiously against his knees. “But four of the secret passageways were boarded up, one of them was caved in, and the one Charlie used wasn’t accessible at night. Dementors patrolled Hogsmeade, so we thought it was okay.”

“When did Charlie get the map?”

“Christmas.”

“The first time Black got into the castle was Halloween night,” said Remus tightly. “It did not occur to you that this map would help Professor Dumbledore solve how he managed that?”

“It just seemed…like it wouldn’t help, I guess,” said Harry awkwardly. “If Black could get by the Dementors, what use would the Marauder’s Map be?”

“That is possibly the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.”

Harry threw his arms out to the sides. “What do you want me to say?” he snapped.

“I want you to show some remorse for your actions!” cried Remus. “Black very well could have gotten his hands on that map—”

"Charlie kept it in her trunk!" Harry protested. "Even when she had it on her, she wouldn’t have lost it. She’s a lot more careful than Neville.”

“Do not interrupt me!” roared Remus. “You _knew_ Charlotte was sneaking out to go to Hogsmeade. You aided her attempts by not telling anyone what she was doing."

"There were lots of people around!" said Harry in irritation. “There’s no way Black would risk moving around during the day.”

"You think Black wouldn't try to kill an entire student population?" demanded Remus. "There would be no one to stop him if he ever got his eyes on Charlie. He'd kill whoever he had to in order to get to her. You allowed her to go off into danger.”

“I’m sorry, okay?”

“Not sorry enough,” said Remus quietly.

Harry flinched and looked away. Remus pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself. It hurt him to think how close Charlie had been to getting killed, whether she realized it or not. It was especially painful to see how reckless his charge was being—he couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to Harry.

"You, Charlie, Ron and Hermione are bright kids. You knew exactly what you were doing. That’s why I’m so disappointed in you. You know better. You’re grounded for a month, and for that time you’ll be living here so I can supervise you. All meals will be had in my quarters. After each class you will come directly here. Am I understood?”

"Yes, Uncle," Harry said softly.

"Go retrieve your trunk. I expect you back here in ten minutes. Do not be late.”

Harry kept his gaze ducked as he hurried out of the room. He rubbed away the building tears of guilt and shame. Remus’ disappointment always stung worse than anger.

...

“He doesn’t look good,” said Hermione worriedly.

Harry lingered a distance away from Hagrid’s hut, looking quite depressed. Hermione, Ron and Charlie joined him and Charlie asked, “How bad is the punishment?”

“I’m grounded for a month,” said Harry heavily. “No meals in the Great Hall, I have to live with him, and I can only spend class time with you guys.”

“That’s horrible,” said Ron, aghast. “I’m glad my parents aren’t professors.”

“I really am sorry,” said Charlie with a wince. “I’m the one who should be punished.”

Harry sent her a wry smile. “While that’s true, even I don’t want you banned from Quidditch. It doesn’t matter, anyway. Hagrid’s troubles are more important.”

Hagrid had just stepped out of his hut, his face devoid of emotion and his eyes lifeless. The four were quick to approach him and Hermione said earnestly, "Hagrid, we're really sorry. But don't worry, we'll help you with the appeal. We’ll show them Mr. Malfoy is completely wrong."

"I kept droppin' the notes yeh gave me, Hermione. Couldn' stop stammerin' an' I got intimidated by all those Committee members. Made a right fool o’ myself." He clapped Ron on the shoulder and Harry set his hands against the redhead’s side to keep him upright. "Yeh were great, Ron. It was all my fault.”

“You can’t lose hope, Hagrid,” insisted Charlie.

“It’s all said an’ done,” said Hagrid heavily. “Malfoy's already got the jury on his side. I’m goin’ teh enjoy every moment with Buckbeak.” He gave a loud sniffle before saying loudly, “Come along, yeh lot.”

The crowd of students followed after Hagrid, leaving the Golden Quartet, Draco and Pansy behind. Pansy snickered. "He is _such_ a baby! Look at him sob!"

Hermione spun around so quickly she was nearly a blur. Pansy’s cackle was immediately cut off as Hermione’s fist cracked against her jaw, sending her sprawling to the ground. Harry and Ron were stunned, but they jumped into action when Hermione started for Draco.

“Hermione!” exclaimed Harry, seizing one of her arms.

“That was brilliant!” said Ron in awe, grabbing her other wrist.

Draco was stock still. Pansy shakily got to her feet, cradling her aching jaw. “You stupid, filthy Mudblood! I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” countered Hermione viciously. “Hide behind Malfoy, like you always do? Your family certainly doesn’t have any influence—not after last year’s revelation. If I hear you speak another word against Hagrid, I’ll make sure you need to see Madam Pomfrey!”

Pansy turned red, with humiliation or anger, Charlie didn’t know. She cast the group a look of hatred before storming off. Draco’s eyes were narrowed into slits, but the expression on Hermione’s face made him decide it wasn’t worth saying anything.

When they were gone, Charlie said in disapproval, “That was not necessary.”

“I don’t care,” said Hermione. “They deserved it.”

“That they did,” agreed Charlie.

The two Slytherins did not make a sound for the rest of the class. Ron, Charlie and Hermione bid Harry goodbye before hurrying to Charms. Ron and Charlie stepped through the doors and claimed their usual seats. Hermione did not slide into the seat beside Ron and when Charlie glanced around, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Hermione was right behind us, wasn’t she?”

“Yeah,” said Ron in confusion.

The bell rang to signal the start of class and Hermione was still missing. “Weird,” she muttered.

After a lesson of learning and practicing the Cheering Charm, it was time for lunch. “I’m going to see if Hermione is in the common room,” spoke Charlie. 

“Okay.”

When Charlie entered the common room, it was to see Hermione slumbering in one of the chairs. Charlie furrowed her brow at the mess of parchment and books on her table. “Hermione?”

At the poke to her shoulder, Hermione stirred. “What?”

“Did you skip Charms to study?” Charlie asked in bewilderment.

The bushy-haired girl stared in horror. “I missed Charms?”

“Uh…yeah.”

“Oh no! Professor Flitwick must be terribly upset with me!”

Hermione sprang from her seat, grabbed her bookbag and hurried off. Charlie shook her head. “Okay. Thanks for giving me an explanation.”

She went to the Great Hall and stopped by the Gryffindor table. She told Ron where she had found Hermione and Ron frowned. “I don’t know how she keeps pulling these disappearing acts, but it has to be how she’s getting to all her classes.”

“Whatever she’s been doing, she messed up today,” said Charlie. “I hope she figures out she can’t handle this workload for the next four years. She’s going to completely burn out.”

The class they had after lunch was Divination. Charlie could not honestly say she had learned anything over the course of the year, but she had a knack for crafting elaborate, fatal, dark predictions that impressed Trelawney.

There was a crystal ball on every table and Charlie studied the white mist floating inside with intrigue. Trelawney taught them how to interpret what she deemed to be the Orb. Charlie tried to relax her mind and see with her Inner Eye. But the mist did not shift or morph and Charlie rested her elbow on the edge of the table, trying to think up a story she could tell Trelawney should the woman call on her.

"Do you guys see anything?" Harry whispered.

Ron snickered. "Yeah. There’s going to be a heavy fog rolling in tonight.”

Harry could not contain his snort and that caused Ron to burst into laughter. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil glared at them. Trelawney huffed her disapproval at their behaviour and said, "What is going on over there?”

 _Here it comes,_ thought Charlie as Trelawney approached them.

Trelawney peered intently into Charlie’s crystal ball. "I have grave news for you, my dear. I can clearly see the Grim—”

"No, you can’t!” said Hermione hotly. “The Grim is a silly old myth, and Charlie isn’t going to die, so it’s not going to do you any good to keep predicting it!”

Professor Trelawney straightened up, her eyes flashing with anger. “You, Miss Granger, are the most mundane student I have ever met. No Inner Eye can exist in someone so hopeless.”

Parvati and Lavender snickered. Hermione stood up with her bag clutched in her grasp. “Then there’s nothing you can teach me!” she said frostily. “I should have left at the start of term when I realized how rubbish this subject is!”

She spun around and stormed down the trapdoor, leaving Harry, Ron and Charlie to gape after her. With a furious, strangled sort of noise Trelawney went to a different table to assist them in their crystal ball gazing.

“Anyone else want to follow her lead?” asked Ron lowly.

Harry shook his head. “I’m already grounded. I’m not looking to add anymore time to my sentence, thanks.”

...

Easter holidays meant mountains of homework. Ron, Charlie and Hermione spent the majority of their time in the library working on it. Since Hermione had so much on her plate, Ron and Charlie were working diligently on the appeal. Harry would slip them his own notes in class, lamenting how he couldn’t be there to help them.

The combination of the Firebolt and Charlie’s natural Seeker skills was a recipe for success. Despite the disastrous first game, they had sealed a spot in the Quidditch final. Scarlet was overrun with adrenaline and excitement and, in the weeks leading up to the final game, held several gruelling practices.

"We can do this," Scarlet had said. "We can totally do this! We have the best team ever! We can...we can..."

Eliza and Danny had to escort Scarlet back to the castle for a Calming Draught. Charlie found herself, for the first time, being properly nervous. "I'm going to be scared for my life if we lose."

"You better be scared for your life if we lose," Tommy had muttered. "I don't want to endure Scarlet's craziness for nothing, you know."

The night before the big match finally arrived and Charlie could not sleep. The match was, of course, against the Slytherins, and Charlie could only imagine what dirty tricks Draco had cooked up. She tossed and turned before finally crawling out of bed.

She leaned against the window sill, eyes tracing the shadows of the dark castle grounds. A movement caught the corner of her eye and she turned to stare at it. Crookshanks slunk out of the shadows and it was not long after when a giant black dog followed.

Charlie’s jaw dropped. 

Crookshanks and the dog seemed as if they were the best of friends, sprinting down the field together. Charlie watched until they were out of her sight before she slowly crawled back into bed, absolutely stunned. There was no doubt in her mind that it was same black dog she had seen in Little Whinging and on the Quidditch pitch.

"Well. I'm probably going to die tomorrow."

...

Charlie barely ate any breakfast the next morning. It was not the Quidditch game that unnerved her. It was the fact that she very possibly had seen the Grim three times, and that Crookshanks was its friend.

Not that anyone was going to believe her.

The Quidditch stands were packed. Every student and every teacher had come to see this event, as well as family members. The Ravenclaws and Slytherins filed onto the pitch. Charlie gripped her broomstick and tried to calm the pounding of her heart.

_You’ve got this, Charlie. Don’t let the Slytherins get to you._

Hooch blew her whistle and they all shot into the air. Ravenclaw took immediate control of the Quaffle until it was taken from Tommy from a Slytherin Beater, who whacked him in the head with his Bludger bat.

Charlie knew instantly it was going to be an interesting game.

Penalties were being given left and right. Danny accidentally crashed into Bole and received a punch in the face. Tommy kicked Flint in the gut in order to steal the Quaffle, still incensed over the strike he had to endure.

Hooch was getting fed up with the lot of them.

Charlie nimbly ducked the Bludgers and kept an eye on Draco, who did not stray too far from her. A while into the game she spotted the golden flicker on the other side of the pitch. She quickly looked at the score. Scarlet didn’t want her to catch the Snitch unless they had fifty points, and they were still below. If Charlie caught the Snitch now, it wouldn’t matter. By terms of total match points, Slytherin would still win unless they had those fifty points.

 _All right, Draco_. _Time to go for a ride._

It seemed Draco did not learn from watching Ravenclaw’s match with Gryffindor earlier in the year. She pulled the same move on him as she had on Dean, leading him into a deep dive before smoothly rolling out of it. Draco did not hit the pitch like Dean had, but he did spin out of control.

Aurora laughed loudly. "Nice one!"

Eliza had the Quaffle gripped in her hand as she sped towards the Slytherin goal. Aurora and Clancy prevented the other Beaters from getting her and Eliza scored, netting the final points Charlie was waiting for.

The golden flicker still where she had left it, Charlie sped towards it. She reached out a hand to grab the Snitch when there was a hard jolt on her broom and she was yanked back. The Snitch darted from her reach and out of sight.

“Are you serious?” she demanded, turning to glare at Draco, who had a solid hold on the back of her broom.

Hooch blew on her whistle, calling for another penalty, and Danny took the shot, scoring more points.

Charlie grumbled under her breath as she circled the pitch. When she realized Draco wasn’t tailing her, she grew suspicious and studied him intently. His eyes were locked across the pitch, and in the next second he went streaking off.

He had spotted the Golden Snitch.

Charlie wasted no time and raced after him. She bent as low as she could, flattening her stomach against the handle. He kept blocking her path as she closed in, so she flipped over and flew upside down, parallel to his broomstick. Draco’s eyes flicked back and, when he didn’t see her, paused.

The few short seconds were all she needed.

She soared by Draco and snagged the Snitch, rolling back into an upright position. Draco stared at her, dumbfounded, and she grinned.

“Nice try.”

The Quidditch Cup was theirs.

Screams erupted from her teammates as they caught sight of the golden orb clutched in her hand. Scarlet was the first one to reach her, tackling her in a hug and sobbing into her shoulder. Charlie grinned and patted her on the back as Eliza, Danny, Clancy, Tommy and Aurora crushed them into a group hug, all of them screaming so loudly her ears rang.

Ravenclaws poured onto the pitch, shouting victoriously. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were jumping up and down, hollering their congratulations. The Ravenclaw team sank to the ground and soon found themselves being hoisted onto the shoulders of their Housemates.

Lee was dancing around the commentator's booth, whooping and swinging his arms in the air. Flitwick clapped hard, a proud smile on his face and tears forming in his eyes.

Ron, Hermione and Harry, who after hours of begging and pleading was permitted to attend the final game, rushed over as she was finally set on the ground. They tackled her into a hug just as Scarlet accepted the gleaming Quidditch Cup from Dumbledore. He patted her fondly on the back and Scarlet beamed a watery smile. She carried it over to Charlie and gently set it in her arms.

“We couldn’t have done this without you, Charlie,” she said with immense gratitude. “Thank you so much.”

The Quidditch Cup was heavy and cold and it glimmered brilliantly in the light. Charlie regarded it with awe, gently tracing her fingers over each of the four handles.

“No, thank you, Scarlet. It’s easy to be great Seeker when you have the perfect team.”

“And the best captain,” spoke Tommy as he and the others came up to them. He put an arm around Scarlet’s shoulders. “You went out with a bang.”

“With the best teammates a girl could ask for,” said Scarlet tearfully. “I love you guys.”

Aurora groaned. “Do not get mushy.”

Clancy grinned at Eliza. “I hope you’re ready to manage this craziness next year.”

“I’m not,” said Eliza honestly. “But I’ll do my very best.”

Danny patted her shoulder. “You’re going to be amazing. You don’t have a temper. That’s why you’re already going to be way better than Scarlet.”

“Oh, yeah, I can’t wait until next year,” snickered Tommy. “I won’t have to worry about punishment laps around the pitch.”

“I can swear all I want,” said Aurora dreamily.

“No more threats against my life,” added Clancy.

The tears cleared from Scarlet’s eyes as she glowered at them. “I change my mind. I love Eliza and Charlie, and I hate the rest of you.”

Tommy gave a dramatic sniff. “Merlin, how I’ll miss you.”


	14. Trelawney’s Prediction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be in bold.

The Ravenclaw team personally brought the Quidditch Cup to Flitwick’s office, where he proudly put it front and center on display. For the first time in a while, Charlie felt properly lucky. Not only did she cinch victory, but as April melted to May and then to June, there were no more attempts by Sirius Black to get into the castle. Charlie also didn’t see the Grim, which she had decided to nickname the large black dog. It seemed appropriate and Charlie was still convinced that the creature was following her for some reason.

She wasn’t overly concerned. She’d seen it three times and was still alive, and she thought that was pretty lucky in the face of a death omen.

Charlie didn’t think it was humanly possible for Hermione to study any more than she had been. But once June hit Hermione refused to lift her head from her dozens of textbooks. Charlie managed to sneak a glimpse at her exam schedule and discovered that Hermione would be taking two exams at the exact same time.

Charlie couldn’t take the mystery anymore. She needed to know how Hermione was pulling this off. Hermione wouldn’t answer her questions, so it was up to her to investigate. It was also, she thought, a decent reason to avoid cramming for a little bit.

She went to most likely place that would provide her with the answer she was looking for—the library.

"Hey, Charlie."

The raven-haired girl paused her browsing of the shelves to smile at Ron. “Hey! What are you doing here? You don’t usually come here on your own.”

“Figured I better start studying,” said Ron, holding out his Potions textbook. “If I stay in my common room I’m just going to play Gobstones and Exploding Snap with Dean, Seamus and Neville.”

“That’s very responsible of you.”

“I know.” Ron pulled a face. “I don’t like it. What are you doing?”

"I’m trying to figure out how Hermione’s been able to attend all those classes. I just checked her exam schedule—she has two exams at the same time. I don’t understand how that’s possible.” She frowned at the shelves. “I just don’t know where to start.”

Ron looked thoughtful. “Maybe Percy might know something. He’s a right know-it-all.”

“Could you ask him?” asked Charlie hopefully.

“I guess. He’s probably in his dorm. I’ll be back.”

Ron disappeared and Charlie found a chair to wait in. It was twenty minutes when Ron returned, looking a mix of triumphant and exasperated. “Did he have the answer?”

“Yeah, in between bouts of blowing hot air,” he said, rolling his eyes as he sat across from her. “I can’t ever get a straight answer out of him. And it’s not really an answer, more of a rumour.”

“A rumour?”

“Apparently he’s heard that the Ministry of Magic has these things called Time-Turners.”

Charlie’s eyes widened. “Wait. Time travel?”

“Er, yeah, they make you travel through time.”

_Time travel exists. Will the wonders of the wizarding world ever cease to amaze me?_

"That has to be how she’s doing it,” said Charlie in awe. “That’s why she would keep disappearing from us in one spot and reappearing in another.”

“What a waste of a Time-Turner,” said Ron with a shake of his head. “Percy said the Ministry doesn’t give them out to just anyone—I think he was suspicious that I wanted one. But I can’t believe they gave Hermione a Time-Turner just so she could take extra classes.”

“I wonder why Hermione refused to tell us.”

“She was probably told to keep it a secret. Otherwise every student in this castle would be pestering for one. I sure would.”

“Geez, me too.” Charlie rested her chin against her knuckles. “That was a mystery that was solved much quicker than I thought. Guess it’s back to studying.”

“Want to study together?” asked Ron. “We can share my textbook.” He pointed out the large glass windows, which showcased the golden summer light drenching the emerald grass. “And we can study outside. That way I won’t feel like I’m wasting the day by learning.”

“Funny,” said Charlie with a snort. “Sure, but I have to be back in the castle before dusk.”

“No problem,” said Ron confidently.

They walked out of the castle and settled on the hill overlooking the lake. Charlie leaned against the bark of the tree and perused the text over Ron’s shoulder. The silence was occasionally interrupted by Ron asking a question and Charlie answering it. The sun warmed her body and she found her eyelids growing heavy. When she opened them again, she was stunned to see the light was gone and the first stars were starting to glimmer in the sky.

“Oh, no!” She looked frantically at Ron, who was sleeping soundly against the grass. “Ron! Wake up!”

Ron stirred with a soft groan. “What?” he asked with a yawn.

“It’s dark! I have to get back in the castle!”

“Bugger,” muttered Ron, grabbing his textbook and getting to his feet.

They sprinted for the castle and Charlie felt a frigid cold wash over her. Her mind started to go foggy and she spun around. Three Dementors were swarming towards them and Ron made a terrified noise in the back of his throat. Charlie whipped out her wand, her heart racing and her legs going wobbly.

_“Expecto patronum!”_

She was thrown back, startled by the brilliance of her Patronus as it charged from her wand. It collided with the Dementors and sent them flying away. Ron, so pale his face could almost be seen in the darkness, knelt down to haul Charlie to her feet.

“Let’s go!”

They turned around, only for Ron to reel backwards and cling to Charlie’s shoulders as one very furious Professor Snape loomed over them.

“Come with me,” he hissed. He kept his wand out, should the Dementors return, and forced the children to walk ahead of him. Charlie and Ron eyed each other nervously as they made the trek to Snape’s office.

When they entered the dull and damp space, Ron and Charlie automatically lowered into the hard wooden chairs across from his desk. Snape paced in front of them, his nostrils flaring with anger. "Would one of you please tell me why you were outside, in the dark, during a time when you're _not supposed to step one foot outside the castle doors_?"

“It was an accident!” said Charlie desperately. “We were out while it was still light! We were going to come back well before dusk, but we…we fell asleep without meaning to.”

_Oh, that sounds so stupid. Guess the lucky streak is over._

"Has it not penetrated your thick skulls yet?" Snape demanded. "There is a serial killer after you, Miss Potter, and it is crucial that you not leave this castle! And you, Mr. Weasley, were already attacked by Black once. Has it ever occurred to you that he may aim to finish the job?"

“It really was a mistake,” muttered Ron.

"A mistake that nearly got your souls removed from your body.”

“I’m sorry,” said Charlie helplessly. “I thought since it was daytime, it would be okay if I left the castle for a bit. I just needed some air.”

“The next time you feel these walls are going to suffocate you, seek out a professor to supervise your stroll,” said Snape flatly. “Since the two of you seem to lack common sense, you will both spend the next few evenings in detention with me. Starting tomorrow, right after dinner."

"Yes sir," the two kids chorused.

"Do anything idiotic like that again and the consequences will be dire."

Ron and Charlie quickly left his office and Ron rubbed at his chest. “That was terrifying.”

“Come on, we better go to dinner,” said Charlie with a sigh. “Do you think, if I happen to get caught doing something I shouldn’t for the sixth time, they’ll just give up and expel me?”

“I would,” said Ron with a snort.

“Gee. Thanks.”

They entered the Great Hall and separated to go to their respective tables. Hermione managed to pull herself away from her Arithmancy textbook to ask, "Where were you?"

"Studying outside with Ron," she answered. "Well, we spent a bit of the afternoon studying, anyway. We accidentally fell asleep and didn’t wake up until dark. Professor Snape caught us and now we have detention.”

"How could you be so stupid?" Hermione cried.

"I didn’t mean to!” Charlie started to scoop some potatoes onto her plate. “Things just happen to me.”

“Most of the time you’re responsible for said things,” said Hermione in irritation. “A letter arrived from Hagrid while you were out.”

She dug a piece of parchment from her pocket and handed it over. Charlie read it over and gasped in horror. "Why are they bringing an executioner to Buckbeak's appeal?"

Hermione was forlorn. "They’ve already made up their mind. It’s not going to matter what we say.”

“So much for justice,” said Charlie bitterly.

...

The exams went underway and as each one went by Hermione looked more and more relaxed. Hagrid was completely despondent during their Care of Magical Creatures exam and they knew there was nothing that could be done to cheer him up.

Harry, Ron and Charlie left Hermione to attend their Divination exam. There was a line of their classmates standing by the ladder and one by one they entered the room. No one mentioned a word of what they had to do, leaving the three to stare at each other curiously. Finally, it was Ron’s turn and when he came back down the ladder, he was shaking with silent laughter. 

"What?" Harry asked.

"She said I did excellent. Honestly, I just made the stuff up."

Harry was relieved. “Oh, good. I can do that.”

Giggling, Charlie climbed the ladder when Trelawney called her name. The room was thick with a cloud of perfume and the professor sat behind one of the low tables. Charlie perched on one of the cushions and stared at the crystal ball in front of her.

"Go on, dear. Tell me what you see."

Charlie stared at the swirling fog. Knowing there was no way it would actually take shape, she decided to say what was on her mind. "I see a dark form. It's in the shape of a Hippogriff."

Trelawney sat up straighter. "You might very well be seeing the outcome of the trial to come this afternoon! Is the Hippogriff squirming on the ground, with no head?"

_Geez. You need to start thinking happier thoughts._

"I see the Hippogriff, and it’s missing a foot. Yes, the executioner swung the axe, and Buckbeak dodged. It went through the rope, and his foot, but he got away, leaving a trail of blood behind him.”

_Yikes. Maybe I need to start thinking happier thoughts as well._

Trelawney looked so astounded Charlie had to bite back a laugh. "That was incredible, darling! You and Mr. Weasley have the makings of true Seers. I wonder if Mr. Lupin shares that with you...a pity Miss Granger did not. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Professor." Charlie got up and started for the trapdoor.

**" _It will happen tonight."_**

Charlie froze and slowly turned around. "I beg your pardon?"

Trelawney was slumped back, her eyes rolling back and her voice deep and serious. Concerned, Charlie was about to call for Harry to get Madam Pomfrey when she spoke again.

" ** _The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight... the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight... before midnight... the servant... will set out... to rejoin... his master..."_**

When she finished, Trelawney sat up and blinked. "Oh, terribly sorry. I must have nodded off.”

Charlie opened her mouth and then shut it again. She was completely flabbergasted.

_She made an honest-to-gosh prediction._

Nodding silently, she climbed down the ladder, where she found Harry awaiting his turn.

"What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"Nope. Just awaiting death. Again.”

Harry and Ron sent her worried looks, but Trelawney called Harry’s name and he went up the ladder. “What’s that supposed to mean?” demanded Ron.

“I’ll tell you when we’re all together.”

Twenty minutes later they rejoined with Hermione and Charlie told them what happened. Hermione frowned. “But that’s…that’s impossible. Prophecies aren’t real, and she’s a fraud.”

“I know what I saw,” said Charlie quietly. “It wasn’t a show.”

“But what does that mean?” asked Harry fearfully.

“It sounds like Sirius Black is going to seek out Voldemort tonight.”

“Isn’t there anything we can do?” demanded Ron.

“The Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore haven’t been able to do a thing against him," said Harry. "What could we possible do?"

As they fell into silence, an owl swooped into the library and landed on the table in front of them. Charlie’s stomach sunk. “From Hagrid?”

Hermione stiffly took the letter and the owl flew off. She read through it and her eyes closed. “He lost the appeal. Buckbeak is going to be executed at sunset.”

 _My lucky streak is most definitely over,_ thought Charlie.


	15. Complicating Matters

"We need to go see him," Ron said firmly.

"I can’t!” cried Charlie. “I can’t leave this castle again!”

"Uncle Remus will kill me!" Harry added.

"I'm going with Ron."

Ron, Charlie and Harry gaped at Hermione, who had her lips pursed stubbornly. "Hagrid needs us, and we can't abandon him now.”

Charlie groaned. “Fine! But I have to be back soon. I mean it!”

“We will,” promised Hermione.

“I’ll meet you in the Entrance Hall.”

Charlie hurried to Ravenclaw Tower to retrieve her Invisibility Cloak. She met back up with her friends and swung the Cloak over them. They slipped out of the castle and made their way across the grounds. Charlie eyed the orange sky warily, knowing they didn’t have much time before darkness fell. They reached the hut and Hermione rapped on the door.

“Hi,” they chorused when Hagrid answered.

"Yeh shouldn’ be here!" Hagrid croaked as the four made their way inside. Fang greeted them enthusiastically and Harry held him at bay.

“We had to see you,” said Ron. “I’m sorry, Hagrid.”

“He don’ deserve it,” sobbed Hagrid, slumping into his couch. “Oh, Buckbeak!”

His cries were wrenching and Charlie and Hermione found themselves crying with him. Charlie hugged his arm while Harry patted his shoulder.

“I’ll make some tea,” said Hermione with a sniff.

“I’ll help,” offered Ron.

As the two moved about the kitchen, Harry asked, “Can’t we do anything?”

"Not even Dumbledore can help," Hagrid muttered. “I don’ think I can bear teh watch, bu' I don’ want him teh go through it alone.”

Hermione scrubbed at her eyes with one arm while the other reached for the sugar bowl. She lifted up the lid and gave a surprised shriek. “Ron!”

“What?” cried Ron.

“It’s Scabbers!”

Harry and Charlie whirled around. “What?!”

Sure enough, the rat popped out of the sugar and scrambled along the counter. Ron was broken from his stunned staring when Scabbers tried to jump to the floor. He swooped in and caught his rat before he made his landing. “But I thought—what is he doing here?”

"I don’t understand,” said Hermione, mystified.

Before they could dwell too much on this miracle, distant voices could be heard nearing the hut and the four kids froze. Hagrid jumped up and strode to the window. "Dumbledore!” he said in despair. “An' the Minister! Yeh lot better get a move on. I don' want yeh teh see this, an' yeh shouldn' even be out here, Charlie.”

A grim cloud hung over the group, knowing that there was nothing they could do. Charlie swung the Cloak over them and said, “I’m so sorry, Hagrid.”

Ron struggled to keep hold of Scabbers, who seemed to want nothing more than to get away from him. "What's wrong with you, you idiot?" Ron asked crossly.

"Quiet!" Hermione hissed as they slipped out of the hut and away from the approaching group. Ron yipped loudly as Scabbers bit at his fingers. "Ron! _Be quiet!_ "

"Scabbers is going mad! I don't know what's wrong with him!"

They struggled their way across the grounds. Then, without warning, there came the unmistakable sound of an axe swishing through the air, and a muffled _thud._ Hagrid's wail was heartrending, and Hermione pressed a hand over her mouth to cover her own cries of anguish.

Grief clutched at Charlie's chest, squeezing tight over her heart. It wasn't fair. They had worked so hard to help Hagrid defend Buckbeak, who had always been innocent, but their attempts were never meant to succeed. "Come on. The sun is almost set. We can’t do anything for him right now.”

They walked towards the castle in a morose silence. Ron’s elbow collided with Harry’s face and he cried out in pain. " _Ouch!_ ”

Charlie flinched as her cheek tingled, mirroring the spot where Harry had gotten struck. "Harry!"

"It's not me! Ron!"

"I'm sorry! It's Scabbers!"

“What is wrong with him?”

"He's going bonkers!" Ron tried desperately to keep his hold and Harry noticed a pair of yellow eyes gleaming from the shadows. His heart pounded for the briefest of moments before Crookshanks' large form slunk towards them.

"Murderous cat straight ahead!”

Hermione groaned. "Not _now_ Crookshanks! Go away!”

The sight of Crookshanks was apparently what Scabbers needed to dredge up his full strength. He ripped away from Ron’s fingers and hit the ground running. Crookshanks immediately went into pursuit. Exasperated, Charlie flung off the Cloak as they all ran after the two animals.

“Your pets are so weird!” Charlie shouted.

"Uncle Remus is going to kill me," Harry cried.

Ron’s long legs allowed him to catch up to Scabbers. He shoved Crookshanks away and clamped his hands firmly over the squirming rat. “Ow!” He glared down at Crookshanks, who was furiously scratching at his leg. “Get lost!

Hermione tried to pick up her cat but was forced to let go when he swatted at her hands. “Crookshanks,” she said, hurt in her eyes. “What is going on with you?”

“Can we please get back to the castle?” snapped Harry.

Suddenly, Crookshanks' frenzied attacks stopped. The cat visibly eased and he was acting as relaxed as the time Charlie had seen him with—

_Oh no._

Charlie slowly looked over her shoulder. The shaggy, massive black dog stood a distance away, staring at them. “Guys,” she whispered.

“What is that?” squeaked Ron.

“Run,” said Charlie grimly.

They broke into a sprint. But the dog was too quick and it streaked straight for Ron. It clamped its teeth into his leg and Ron screamed. He was brought forcefully to the ground and the dog dragged him off. “Heeellllpppp!”

Harry, Hermione and Charlie raced after him. Just as they neared something solid struck Charlie across the face, sending her to the ground. “What the—?”

Hermione clutched her bleeding nose and hunkered to the ground to avoid being whipped again. “Oh no.”

“The Whomping Willow,” said Harry with a groan.

The dog dragged Ron between a gap in the roots and they disappeared. “We’re losing them!” said Charlie in panic.

“I’ll go get help,” said Hermione. “We’re going to need it!”

She crawled away from the Whomping Willow’s reach. “Be careful!” Charlie called after her.

“It’s you I’m worried about!” returned Hermione fearfully. “I’ll be as quick as I can!”

“Come on, Harry.”

Harry snorted. "Easier said than done! How are we supposed to get past the Whomping Willow?"

The answer came in the form of Crookshanks, who walked up to the Whomping Willow and touched a knot in its trunk. The branches immediately stopped moving and Charlie and Harry cautiously stood up. Crookshanks slid through the gap and Charlie determinedly unsheathed her wand.

“Let’s go.”

Harry pulled out his wand and followed his sister through the gap. They crawled into a narrow passage and Harry said, “Wait. Is this the one that leads to the Shrieking Shack?”

“Yup.”

“Just perfect.”

After several minutes of crawling they came upon the exit. Harry climbed out first and held out his hand to Charlie, who grabbed it. She found herself being pulled into a dusty, cobweb-covered room. Harry pointed towards an open door and they went through it. They stepped into a hallway and at the end they found a rickety staircase.

A heavy creak sounded from upstairs and they glanced at each other. “I’ll go first,” muttered Harry.

They reached the second-floor landing and heard Ron’s pained moans coming clearly from behind the closed door. They barged inside and found the redhead lying on the bed, blood pooling from his leg.

“Are you all right?” asked Harry.

“It’s a trap!” said Ron through clenched teeth. “It’s no dog at all! It’s Sirius Black—he’s an Animagus!”

Charlie had spotted the term a few times before in her recreational readings—it was a term applied to a witch or wizard who could morph into an animal. The sound of a door slamming shut caused them both to jump. Charlie whirled around and said strongly, _“Expelliarmus!”_

Ron’s wand soared into her hand. She kept her own trained steadily at Sirius Black, who looked much worse than his mug shot. His hair was long, knotted and dirty, and his skin was sallow and sunken. His dark eyes were shocked and awed.

“That’s some wand work you have,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Ron glared at Black and tried to sit up. "You’re not going to kill her!”

The loyalty radiated from him and Black turned to face him. “You need to stay still. You’ll damage that leg even further if you don’t stop moving.”

“It’s okay, Ron,” said Charlie softly, gently putting a hand against his chest.

“We’ve got this,” said Harry with narrowed eyes.

“I can see how strong your friendship is,” said Black quietly. “Perhaps this is what I should have done from the start, but I hoped not to get any of you involved.”

“What do you know about friendship?” snapped Charlie, her fingers tightening around her wand. “You betrayed your best friend. You murdered the other.”

“I would never have betrayed James,” said Black passionately. “You don’t know the whole story, and if you kill me, you’ll never hear it.”

“I’m not going to kill you,” said Charlie. “I won’t be like you.”

Black searched her eyes, finding nothing but sincerity. “You don’t intend to kill me, though you believe I’m the reason your parents were killed?”

Charlie furrowed her brow at his phrasing. “Why shouldn’t I believe you got my parents killed?”

“I won’t say I had no part in their death,” said Black quietly. “But not in the way you think.”

There was something in his eyes—grief, and regret, and agony. Charlie lowered her wand and Harry hissed, “Charlie!”

Crookshanks, who had been resting by Ron’s feet, hopped off the bed and walked over to Black. He purred as he wound his way around Black’s legs. Charlie stared at him with a frown. “That is one weird cat.”

“He’s the smartest of his kind,” said Black fiercely.

There was fondness in his eyes as he regarded the feline.

“If you wanted to kill me,” said Charlie slowly, “you’d have done it already. You wouldn’t have brought me here.”

“What are you talking about?” demanded Harry.

“When he was chasing us—he went right by me. He was going for Ron.” Charlie stared at Black intently. “Don’t…don’t you want to kill me?”

“Of course I don’t,” said Black strongly. “I would never hurt you, Charlotte.”

“But you’d hurt my friend,” accused Charlie.

Remorse filled Black’s expression. “I’m afraid I was left with no choice.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” demanded Ron.

Black was prevented from responding by the sound of footsteps falling hard and fast on the stairs. Harry immediately turned towards the noise and shouted, _“We’re in here!”_

Seconds later a panting figure charged through the door, and Harry grinned broadly with relief. “Uncle Remus!”

...

Just as Harry and Charlie made it into the Shrieking Shack, a breathless Hermione made it up to the castle. Doubled over, she gripped the stone steps and took heaving gasps to get air back to her lungs. She allowed herself a few seconds of rest before charging into the castle.

Her footsteps echoed throughout the corridors as she ran straight for Remus' office. She hammered on the door but there was no response. “Oh!”

She continued running, trying frantically to think which professor might be the closest. As she rounded the corner she ran straight into a solid form. “Miss Granger!” snapped Snape, grabbing her by the shoulders to steady her. “What do you think you’re—you’re bleeding.”

Red drops fell to the marble floor. Relief flooded Hermione’s face. “Professor Snape!”

“What happened?” demanded Snape, passing her a dark green handkerchief, which she immediately used to mop up the blood. “Where are you friends?”

“They need your help, Professor Snape! We were on our way back from seeing Hagrid when a large black dog attacked Ron and dragged him to the Whomping Willow! Charlie and Harry went after him and they’re in the Shrieking Shack now.”

Snape thrust the goblet he was carrying into Hermione’s hands. “Bring this to Lupin, and then go right—”

“But he’s not in his office! I already checked.”

“Wasn’t he?” An odd expression crossed Snape’s face and he strode for Remus’ office. He threw open the door and his eyes zeroed in on the parchment left on the desk. He scanned it for a brief moment before pure wicked glee entered his eyes. Hermione hung in the doorway, watching him anxiously.

“Professor—”

“I will save your friends, Miss Granger. Go straight to the infirmary.”

He sprinted off and Hermione hesitated. She approached the parchment, which she realized was the Marauder’s Map. She caught a glimpse of Remus’ dot reaching the very edge of the Whomping Willow passageway before it disappeared from sight.

Several questions ran through Hermione’s mind. How did Remus know how the map worked? Why had Snape reacted the way he had when Hermione said Remus wasn’t in his office? Why was Remus going to the Shrieking Shack?

She stared at the smoking goblet. “Wolfsbane,” she whispered.

It took a moment before horrified realization set in—tonight was a full moon.

Hermione took off running, hoping desperately she wouldn’t be too late.

...

_“Expelliarmus!”_

Charlie gasped as her wand, along with Ron and Harry’s, flew into his grasp. “Hey!”

“What did you do that for?” asked Harry in shock.

Remus gave the kids a sweeping glance—they were covered in dirt and blood, but they did not seem to be in need of immediate medical aid. He turned to face Sirius Black, fighting the emotional tremble in his hands to keep them steady.

“Where is he?” he asked.

Sirius pointed at Ron. “He’s holding him right now.”

Ron recoiled as the two men turned to stare intently at him. Scabbers thrashed in his closed hands but he didn’t dare loosen his grip. “How is this possible?” whispered Remus. “Why would he—unless he’s the one who did it.” Remus sent Sirius a piercing glance. “Did you switch? Without telling me?”

“We did.”

The three kids watched, stunned, as Remus embraced Sirius tightly. When he stepped back, he stilled at the betrayal in Harry’s eyes. “Harry…”

“So that’s it?” he asked tearfully. “You were just lying to me all this time? You really were helping out Black?”

“I wasn’t,” said Remus fiercely. “I haven’t been friends with him in twelve years, pup, because I thought he was responsible for the worst tragedy of my life. But I was tricked, just like everyone else.”

Charlie’s brow furrowed. “Every time you got into Hogwarts…you kept going to Gryffindor Tower. You were after Ron all this time?”

“Not Ron,” said Sirius quickly. “I was after his rat.”

“My rat?” said Ron in disbelief. “You’re mad!”

But Charlie was frowning now, her eyes squinting as the gears in her brain began to work overtime, slowly connecting the pieces that hadn’t made sense previously. “Did…did you send Crookshanks to get Scabbers?”

“I didn’t. He figured out on his own that Scabbers isn’t what he appears to be, and offered to bring him to me. But he didn’t succeed.”

“Are you telling me that Scabbers is an Animagus too?”

A smile broke out across Remus’ tired, pale face, filled with such warmth that the last of the tension left her shoulders. “You’re quick, Charlie.”

“Scabbers is just a rat!” said Ron crossly. “There’s nothing special about him! I don’t know what you lot are on about.”

“How did you even know we were here?” asked Harry.

“I was keeping a close eye on the Marauder’s Map. I figured, after hearing about Buckbeak’s execution, you four might try to see him beforehand. Imagine my shock when a fifth person, a person who should have been dead for twelve years, accompanied you back out.”

“Well, it’s clearly not Voldemort,” said Charlie flatly.

An odd sort of sound left Sirius—it resembled a laugh. Remus shook his head. “No,” he said darkly. “But that’s a rather close guess.”

_Twelve years. Who would be hiding as a rat for twelve years, and for what reason?  
_

“I heard,” said Charlie slowly, “that you were supposed to be the Secret-Keeper for my parents. That you betrayed the location to Voldemort so he could kill them. But Professor Lupin said…that you switched. Without him knowing. So does that mean you _weren’t_ the Secret-Keeper?”

“I wasn’t.”

“You knew how to open the Marauder’s Map,” said Charlie, glancing at Remus as understanding dawned. “Does that mean you’re Moony?”

Sirius and Remus regarded her with awe. “Yes,” confirmed Remus. “How did you know?”

“Because you’re a—”

She very nearly said it but hastily went silent, unsure if it was a topic that was meant to be broached. But Remus gave a wry grin. “You’re a bright witch, Charlie.”

Harry gaped at her. “How did you know?”

“I finished Professor Snape’s essay. It accomplished what he wanted it to do.”

Harry scowled. “Typical.”

“So if you’re Moony, Sirius Black must be Padfoot, because he can change into a dog,” said Charlie “Is Scabbers…is Scabbers Wormtail?”

“He is,” growled Sirius.

“Who is Wormtail?” asked Ron warily.

“Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew, and his Animagus form is a rat. Your rat, Ron.”


	16. Explanations

“How can Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew?” snapped Ron. “Didn’t you kill him?”

Sirius smiled wickedly. "I certainly tried. But it turns out Peter had a degree of cunningness that he had never shown before. He accused me of being the murderer, in front of all those witnesses, and executed the explosion himself.”

“I think a lot of pieces are missing from the story,” said Charlie. “I’m…still a bit confused.”

“So am I,” said Remus with a nod. “Sirius, if you please.”

“Fine,” said Sirius, his eyes narrowing. “Do not let that traitor go, Ron.”

“I thought every Animagi had to be registered with the Ministry of Magic. There’s a process, so that they’ll be able to keep tabs on every Animagi form that exists,” said Charlie, recalling McGonagall’s class on the subject. “I helped Hermione go through the list. There’s not a lot of them for this century, but Peter Pettigrew wasn’t on there. Neither is Sirius Black.”

“And neither is James Potter,” said Remus patiently.

Charlie’s eyes widened and Harry stood a little straighter. “Dad was an Animagi?” she asked softly.

“He was a magnificent stag,” said Sirius proudly. “It’s why we called him Prongs.”

“So the three of you became Animagi illegally?” said Harry in disbelief.

The door creaked loudly and they all jumped. Remus slowly approached the door, his wand raised, but he didn’t see anything on the landing. “We’re fine.”

“Isn’t this place supposed to be haunted?” asked Ron nervously.

"Actually, the screams and howls the villagers heard from this shack were mine." Remus shut the bedroom door once more and turned to face them. "That's where the story starts, really. I was a small child when I was bitten by a werewolf, and back then there was no cure. The Wolfsbane Potion is a very recent discovery. As long as I drink it the week before a full moon, I keep my mind when I transform and can wait it out.

"Before the potion was discovered, however, I became a horrible beast once a month. It seemed impossible that I would ever get to go to Hogwarts. No one wanted their children to be around me. But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he said he didn't see why I couldn't attend so long as they took the necessary precautions."

"The Whomping Willow," Charlie said in realization. "You said the tree was planted the year you came to Hogwarts. It was planted _because_ you were coming to Hogwarts, wasn't it?"

Remus nodded sadly. "The tunnels were constructed for my use. Once a month I would be brought down here to transform and the tree prevented anyone from coming across me while I was in werewolf form.

"To transform into a werewolf is very painful. As I was separated from humans, I bit and scratched myself. My howls were heard by the villagers, who believed them to be evil spirits and Dumbledore encouraged the rumour. But even with the transformations, I was the happiest I had ever been in my life. I had three wonderful friends—Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and of course, James Potter.

"They became Animagi so they could keep you company,” said Charlie. “They wanted to be with you.”

“The relationship I had with my friends is much like the one you have with Hermione, Ron and Harry,” said Remus wistfully. “We spent so much time together it was inevitable that they would grow suspicious that I would sneak off once a month.”

"Or disappears and reappears a few feet away," Harry muttered under his breath, and Charlie elbowed him in the side.

"I was terrified that they would leave me if they found out the truth. They discovered my secret, and all they wanted to do was find a way to make my transformations better. It took three years for them to accomplish it, but by fifth year they were able to come out every full moon with me.”

"How would them becoming Animagi help _you_?" Ron asked.

"You see, werewolves are only a danger to people,” explained Remus. “Not really to other animals.”

"But I don’t understand,” said Harry, perplexed. “Uncle Remus, if you knew Sirius Black was an Animagus all this time, and you thought he was a traitor, why didn’t you tell anyone when he first broke into Hogwarts?”

“I didn’t want Dumbledore to find out,” said Remus, his fingers clenching together. “I was a childish coward. I didn’t want to betray the trust of the only man who was willing to give me a chance. I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the castle using the Dark Arts he would have learned from You-Know-Who.” He turned to Harry, his expression pained, and he whispered, “And I feared, if the Ministry found out I’d been keeping such secrets, they would find a reason to take you away from me. It seems, in a way, Snape has been right about me all along."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "Snape?" he hissed.

"He's a teacher at Hogwarts, Sirius. He teaches the skills of Potions to Harry, Charlotte, Ron and their other friend Hermione," he informed him. "You see, the reason why Snape loathes me so much is because of a trick Sirius played on him that nearly got him killed. A trick that involved me.”

“Did…did my dad save his life?” asked Charlie, remembering the life-debt Snape owed her father that he paid in her first year.

“He did,” said Remus in surprise. “How did you know?”

“It doesn’t matter. What happened?”

"Snape got curious as to where I went every month. He didn’t like us and we didn’t like him, but Sirius and James—”

“We despised him,” growled Sirius.

Remus coughed awkwardly. “Yes. Snape loathed them in turn. But he didn’t miss the opportunity when he spotted Madam Pomfrey escorting me to the Whomping Willow one night. Sirius thought it would be funny to tell him how to calm the tree. Snape, of course, took the chance. But he never made it past the house. James was horrified when he found out what Sirius had done. He went straight after Snape. In the end, he found out what I was, but Dumbledore forbade him from telling anyone.”

Charlie was stricken. “That’s…that’s not a joke. That was a horrible thing to do.”

"Indeed it was, Miss Potter,” sneered a familiar, cold voice from behind Remus.

Everyone gasped as Severus Snape pulled Charlie's Invisibility Cloak from his body, wand pointing directly at Sirius and Remus.

 _Dang,_ thought Charlie in dismay. _Probably should have been more careful with that._


	17. The Rat

Snape thrust Charlie's Invisibility Cloak aside and Harry shot her a look that clearly said ' _thanks a lot'._ The raven-haired girl shrugged helplessly and turned her attention back to her Potions professor. He looked positively delighted, but in a sadistic sort of way that made dread curl in Charlie's stomach.

" _Snape,"_ Black growled. "What are you doing here?"

A cruel smile curled across Snape's sallow face. "I was on my way to deliver your potion, Lupin, when I ran into a terrified Hermione Granger. She told me a black dog had taken Mr. Weasley through the passageway of the Whomping Willow. She tried seeking your assistance but you weren't in your office. When I checked for myself, I found your little map, which confirmed my suspicions."

Remus took a step towards the Potions professor. "Now Severus, you need to—"

"Silence!" Snape snarled, his wand aimed straight at Sirius' chest. They were glaring at each other with complete contempt. "Do not move, or I swear I will do it."

Remus cautiously moved back with his hands held out in front of him. "Calm down. Sirius has a story to tell and you need to hear it."

"I don't need to hear anything!" Snape snapped. "I know what he did, and I was right about you. Dumbledore wouldn't listen when I told him that you were assisting your good friend Black into the castle. You don't know how much I'm going to enjoy bringing you to the Dementors."

"Are you really going to kill us because of a schoolboy grudge?" Remus demanded.

Snape's eyes gleamed. "Don't tempt me."

Vine-like ropes shot out from the end of his wand and entwined around Remus, bringing him to the ground. Sirius, defenseless without a wand, could only snarl in fury.

Harry was horrified. "What did you do that for?" he cried.

“I can imagine how shocking this must be for you, Mr. Lupin,” said Snape softly, his dark eyes staring at the two men with triumph. “A whole life undone by one night of lies.”

“He’s not a liar!” said Harry furiously. “You’ve been out for him since the very beginning!”

“And you know exactly why!” 

Charlie clamped onto Harry’s wrist and shook her head warningly. “Professor,” she said carefully. “Um, I’m not sure if you heard, but there’s a possibility that Ron’s rat might be—”

"I'm disappointed in you, Miss Potter," Snape said, never taking his eyes off Sirius. "To so willingly accept their pitiful stories. I hope you see, now, that your father and his little friends were disgusting and vile.”

Charlie was aware this was said to get a rise out of Black rather than her, although she didn't appreciate it regardless. Sirius' lips peeled back and he bared his teeth. "I should have expected you would still be a plague on Hogwarts."

Charlie’s eyes flicked to the floor. Remus had been unable to keep his grip on their wands when Snape attacked him and they were scattered near his body. “Professor,” she said slowly. “I’m just going to get my wand back.”

But Snape didn’t seem to have heard her. He was breathing hard, his eyes narrowed into slits. “I’ll bring you to the Dementors myself, Black.”

“You can’t!” exploded Sirius. “The truth must be known!”

“The truth is known,” growled Snape. “You’re nothing more than a criminal, Lupin is a monster, Pettigrew was a stupid coward and Potter was an arrogant and worthless Gryffindor.”

 _He was not worthless!_ thought Charlie furiously.

Snape was thrown backwards and he hit the wall hard. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. Charlie stilled for a second before frantically running to his side and shaking his shoulder. “Professor Snape!”

“You did it again!” cried Ron.

Sirius was astounded. “How…how did you do that?”

“I unleash magic accidentally when I get angry,” said Charlie, staring at the prone form of Snape in dismay.

"Get your wands back,” ordered Sirius.

Charlie seized the wands and distributed them to her friends. Harry hurried over to Remus and removed him from the bindings.

"Is there a way to tell?” she asked, returning the conversation to its original topic before Snape had interrupted. “If Scabbers is really Peter Pettigrew?”

“There is,” said Sirius. “And I’m getting tired of waiting.”

“But I don’t understand how you knew Scabbers was with me,” said Ron.

Sirius reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a crumpled-up newspaper clipping. "During one of Fudge's inspections, he gave me a copy of the _Daily Prophet._ I was closed off from the outside world and took whatever news I could. That's when I spotted this."

He handed the clipping over and Charlie took it. Harry peered over her shoulder and gasped. "Hey! It's the picture of the Weasleys in Egypt!"

"What?" Ron cried, trying to sit up as best he could. Charlie passed him the black and white picture and the ginger stared at it in shock. Sure enough, it was the same picture he had sent to his friends during the summer. And there was Scabbers, perched on his shoulder. “But how could you have possibly known this rat was Peter Pettigrew?”

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "I've seen Peter transform many times. I knew it was him instantly. The caption said the boy would be returning to Hogwarts. I knew that's where you were, Charlotte." He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but refrained from doing so. "And take a close look at the picture—the rat is missing a toe."

Ron snorted. "He's always had a missing toe."

“They found Peter Pettigrew’s finger at the scene,” said Charlie, her stomach starting to turn with disgust. “Did…did he cut it off himself?”

Sirius nodded. "Right before he blew up the street with the wand behind his back. He transformed and went into the sewers, where he began his life as the rat he really is.”

“How come you were muttering ‘Hogwarts’ and ‘Potter’ in your sleep?” asked Charlie in confusion. “That’s why everyone thought you were coming to kill me when you escaped.”

Sirius looked surprised. "I didn’t know I was talking in my sleep. I managed to keep a hold on some of my sanity, but I lost a good chunk of it. Hard not to when you’re in there. I suppose I was worried Pettigrew might try to hurt you eventually.”

“How is it possible to keep your sanity in Azkaban?” asked Harry curiously.

Sirius smiled grimly. "I knew I was innocent. That thought wasn't a happy one, and so the Dementors couldn't take it from me. The knowledge that I was innocent kept me sane."

“Why did you want Pettigrew to be the Secret-Keeper?” asked Charlie

Sirius' eyes turned bright. "I thought You-Know-Who wouldn't even think about going after Peter. He wasn’t an obvious choice. Peter agreed, and it took some convincing, but James agreed as well. On that fateful Halloween night, I went to check on Peter at his hiding place, but he was gone, and there were no signs that he had been dragged off. By the time I got to Godric’s Hollow, it was too late. None of us could have ever guessed Peter would turn to the Dark."

_The prophecy._

It came to the front of her mind with full force and Charlie snapped her gaze to the squirming rat. Perhaps it hadn’t ever been about Sirius Black. If Scabbers really was Peter Pettigrew, and Voldemort’s servant was going to return to him before midnight…

_What time is it?!_

“How did you get into Gryffindor Tower?” asked Ron suspiciously, barely pulling Charlie from her frantic thoughts.

Sirius patted Crookshanks on the head. "I’m not sure if you’re aware, but this cat is half-Kneazle, and is extraordinarily intelligent. He knew what Peter was from the moment he laid eyes on him. When he met me, he knew I was also an Animagus. It took a while, but I gained his trust. He stole a sheet of passwords."

Ron looked outraged. "Wait a minute! You stabbed me in the shoulder that night!"

Harry rolled his eyes. “You know, that should have been the first thing you brought up.”

“Shut up! You didn’t say anything!”

“I’m not the one who was stabbed!”

Sirius was apologetic. "And I am very sorry about that. You awoke suddenly and scared the Merlin out of me with your scream. I accidentally dropped the knife I was going to use to kill Pettigrew and it unluckily landed right in your shoulder. I needed to get out of there, so I ran."

" _I_ scared the Merlin out of _you_?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Ron," Remus cut in, holding out his hand. "The rat, if you please."

Ron frowned. "Are you going to kill him?"

"Yes."

" _No._ " Remus glared at Sirius. "We're just going to cast a spell on him. If he's a regular rat, we apologize for all of this. If he's really Pettigrew, then yes, we'll kill him."

After a moment's thought, Ron held out the rat, which was thrashing in his grip. Sirius and Remus raised their wands and cast a spell. Ron dropped Scabbers in surprise when he started to convulse. Charlie and Harry clung to each other and watched with wide eyes as the rat turned into a small man with watery eyes and a pointed nose.

"Merlin," Ron croaked.

Remus smiled a dangerous smile. "Hello, Peter. It's been a while."

"My friends," Peter Pettigrew rasped, but he made no move to get near them.

"Now, I don't know if you've been paying attention or not, but I have a few questions for you," Remus said pleasantly.

"Surely you're not going to believe Sirius! He killed Lily and James, Remus!" Peter cried.

Sirius snarled and Remus held him back. "Then why, Peter, have you been living as a rat for twelve years?"

"I knew he was going to kill me! I exposed him. It was only a matter of time and I was scared!"

"You knew Sirius would escape from jail when no one else has ever done it before?" Remus asked with an arched eyebrow. "I find that difficult to believe."

"Mr. Black?"

Sirius jumped. He was obviously not used to being addressed in such a manner. He turned to face Harry, who was staring at Peter in shock. "Yes?"

Harry glanced at him. "How _did_ you escape from Azkaban?"

"He used Dark Magic, of course! Tricks learned from—" 

"He was asking _me_ ," Sirius growled and Peter went silent. "Like I said before, I kept my sanity knowing I was innocent. But what gave me strength came from knowing that Pettigrew was in Hogwarts. After I saw that picture, it was like a fire had been lit within me. The Dementors couldn't put it out, and I was worried that he might attempt to harm Charlotte to get in good with Voldemort's supporters."

"That's a lie!" Peter said shrilly. "If anything, I was hiding from the Dark Lord's supporters because I cost them their best spy!"

Sirius' left eye twitched. "You know, I'm surprised I didn't peg you as a spy from the start. You always liked hanging around friends who could protect you."

"Sirius," Remus cut in. "You can deal with him later."

Sirius nodded and took a deep breath to calm himself. "The Dementors can't see, so I turned into a dog one night when they were bringing me food. Animal emotions are different from human emotions and that confused them. I squeezed through the bars and swam to the mainland.”

Harry bit his lip. "But why hasn't he killed Charlie? He's had plenty of opportunities."

"You see?" Peter cried. "I haven't harmed a hair on that girl's head."

"That's because you never do anything for yourself!" Sirius bellowed. "You've always done what others tell you to do! And you would _never_ dare to murder under Albus Dumbledore. You were keeping an ear out, wondering if your old master would return to power and if it was safe to join him." Sirius turned to face Charlie. "I would never have betrayed Lily and James," he said thickly. “I loved them.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

Sirius smiled at her, relief on his features, before glowering darkly as Peter dropped to his knees in horror. "I think it's time we settled this once and for all."

"Of course." Remus rolled up his sleeves. "Sirius, I am deeply sorry for believing you were a spy."

"Forgiven. Please forgive me for not telling you we switched Secret-Keepers."

"Forgiven."

And as the two men advanced towards Peter, Charlie knew there would be no forgiveness for him.

The man crawled desperately over to Ron. "Kind master, please don't let them do it!" He latched onto Ron's leg and the ginger gasped in pain.

"Get your hands off of him," Remus thundered. "And if you even lay a finger on Harry or Charlotte, your death will be as painful as we can make it."

Peter cowered against the floor. Charlie stared at him, at the rampant fear in his eyes. It had been him all along. He’d been free, or as free as he could be as a rat, for twelve years while an innocent man rotted. He was the reason her parents were dead, why she had to grow up without Harry, and without a godfather. If she let them kill him, there was no way Peter would be able to rejoin Voldemort. The prophecy wouldn’t be fulfilled.

But as their wands raised Charlie lunged forwards, planting herself protectively in front of him. “I can’t,” she said. “I can’t let you kill him.” 

Sirius and Remus looked at her in disbelief. "He killed your parents," Sirius protested. "You're standing up for him?"

"I don't want you two to go to jail for murder," Charlie explained. "Sirius, you're still a wanted man. No one will believe the words of three teenagers and your best friend. We need him to prove that you are innocent. My parents wouldn't have wanted their two best friends to become murderers. And…and I don’t believe two wrongs make a right. Pettigrew did a horrible thing, but that doesn’t mean we have to do the same."

Sirius stared at her for a long moment. "You're a kind girl, Charlotte. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Charlie nodded. "He can spend the rest of his life in Azkaban. And you can call me Charlie, if you want."

"Thank you," whimpered Peter. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," said Charlie with a frown. "I don't need your gratitude."

Remus started forward and used his wand to tie Peter up. "If you even think about transforming, we will kill you," he threatened.

Peter was face-down, gagged and bound. Remus stepped over him and wrapped Harry up in a hug, which he had wanted to do since the moment he stepped foot in the Shrieking Shack. Harry clung to him in relief. Remus pulled away after a moment and hurried over to Ron. "How are you doing?"

Ron's face was white with agony. "My rat was actually a murderer, and I’ve shared my bed with him. What do you think?”

"Fair enough. I'm not as good as Madam Pomfrey, but perhaps I can strap your leg up until we get you to the infirmary."

Some ropes shot out from the tip of his wand and curled around Ron's damaged leg, making a splint. Ron cautiously got off the bed and hobbled on one foot.

Snape was still unconscious. Charlie inwardly flinched, dreading the reaction he would have once he woke up. “We’ll have to carry Snape back to the castle.”

She stuck his wand into his pocket before casting the Levitation Charm on him. Ron and Remus chained themselves to Peter so he wouldn't get away. Crookshanks, looking rather smug, led the trek back through the passage.

Sirius and Charlie were at the back of the group. He turned to her and he said, somewhat earnestly, "Charlie...I don't know if anyone told you this, but I'm your godfather."

Charlie felt her lips twitch as she recalled the first disastrous trip to Hogsmeade. "I may have heard something about that."

"Well, your parents appointed me your guardian should anything happen to them," Sirius said carefully. "I'll understand if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle, but...when my name gets cleared, you could come live with me...if you wanted to."

Charlie gaped at him. "Really?" she asked joyfully. "When can I move in? Where do you live?"

"You really want to come live with me?" Sirius asked hopefully.

" _Yes!_ "

A delighted smile broke across Sirius' face. They soon reached the end of the tunnel and Crookshanks scampered out to touch the knot in the tree. Everyone clambered outside and stood in the middle of the dark grounds, the only light coming from the castle ahead.

_“Charlie! Ron! Harry!”_

_“Hermione?”_ Charlie asked incredulously, watching the girl climb shakily to her feet.

“What are you doing out here?” demanded Remus.

“I tried to—but the Whomping Willow—couldn’t get past—have the goblet— _it’s a full moon tonight!_ ”

As if fate were laughing at them, the clouds chose to part at that moment, revealing a bright, silver, full moon.

_Why me?_

Sirius flung out an arm, stopping Harry and Charlie from moving forwards. Remus had gone rigid, his limbs jerking wildly.

“Hermione!” he barked. “Get over here now!”

Hermione dropped the goblet and sprinted over to them, white-faced and absolutely covered in scratches. “Is that—”

“Yes, it’s Sirius Black, but he is not who we have to worry about right now,” said Charlie in a rush.

"Oh no," Harry whispered in horror. "He hasn't taken his potion!"

“I tried,” wheezed Hermione, running on her last shreds of energy. “But I couldn’t—"

“Don’t talk, run!” ordered Sirius.

“But Ron—” started Charlie.

“I’ll help him! Go now! Do not separate!”

In a second Sirius had turned into his dog form. Charlie, Harry and Hermione didn’t move, transfixed by Remus’ transformation. His body lengthened and his teeth grew incredibly sharp, and in seconds he was a full werewolf. He ripped from his bindings with ease and Sirius lunged himself at him, tackling him to the ground.

" _Ron!_ " Harry cried suddenly.

Charlie shrieked as Pettigrew jumped for Remus' dropped wand. Ron tried to get it before he did but his bad leg slowed him down. There was a flash of light and Ron crumpled. Crookshanks launched for Pettigrew’s face but another spell sent the cat flying.

“Ron! Crookshanks!” screamed Hermione.

 _“Expelliarmus!”_ hollered Charlie.

Remus’ wand flew into her possession. Pettigrew transformed, turning into the form they once knew as Scabbers, and he scampered through the tall grass, disappearing from sight. Remus grabbed Sirius by the neck and tossed him away before running into the Forbidden Forest. Sirius stood, bleeding heavily, and ran after him.

The kids ran over to Ron. “Ron!” cried Harry. “Can you hear me?”

There was no response. His eyes were glassy, but he was breathing.

"Ron's fine," Charlie said with immense relief. "I don't know what Pettigrew hit him with, but he seems to be fine." She glanced around and spotted Crookshanks sprinting towards the castle. "Your cat is fine, Hermione." Her gaze travelled to Snape, who was still levitating above the ground with his eyes closed. "Professor Snape is fine."

"Well, Uncle Remus and Sirius aren't fine! What do we do?" Harry asked anxiously.

Charlie pressed a hand against her forehead. "Okay, we're going to the castle. We'll get help—"

A pained bark echoed across the grounds. Charlie froze and glanced at Harry. “I don’t know if we have time for that,” he said.

“Then we follow them,” said Charlie determinedly. “Come on!”

They took off towards the sounds of howling and barking. When they reached the body of dark water, they came to an abrupt halt. Sirius was back in his human form, curled up in a tight ball against the ground. At least a hundred Dementors were swarming towards him and Charlie felt like she had stepped into Antarctica, it was so cold.

"Think happy thoughts!" she ordered. “The incantation is _Expecto patronum!_ ”

_I'm going to go live with Sirius. I'll get to escape the Dursleys._

The Dementors were coming closer. Sirius was defenseless. Harry and Hermione tried the incantation, but their wands were silent.

" _Expecto patronum!"_

A feeble silver mist escaped her wand. Charlie gulped as the Dementors formed a wall around them. Harry and Hermione fainted. Screams echoed in her head, and the fog grew thicker...she was freezing...

 _"EXPECTO PATRONUM!_ " she cried, dropping to her knees in the cold grass.

_Sirius is innocent...I can live with him..._

As she raised her wand for a final try, a Dementor moved closer to her. A slimy hand reached out from under its cloak. It reached up and removed its hood. There were no eyes, just grey, scabbed-over skin, and a gaping black hole for a mouth.

The desire to vomit hit her strongly. She was frozen with disgust and fear. Her wand clattered to her side as the screams of her mother and father got louder. She screwed her eyes shut and raised her hands to guard her face.

Just as the fog threatened to consume her there was a bright flash. A silver glow danced in front of her closed eyelids. Slowly she opened them to see the lake being illuminated with a brilliant light. The cold was ebbing away and the screaming stopped. Sick and trembling, Charlie glanced around. She caught sight of what looked like a silver unicorn galloping back across the water and the Dementors retreating. She climbed shakily to her feet, stumbling to check on her friends and Sirius. They were out cold, but the Dementors hadn’t gotten to them.

She looked across the lake to see a slender female reach up to pet the unicorn.

Her legs gave out and the darkness engulfed her.


	18. A Trip in Time

Severus Snape slowly sat up, his head pounding as dark eyes surveyed the Hogwarts grounds. After the haze cleared, he recalled exactly what had happened and he sprang to his feet, muttering curses under his breath. A still figure slumped on the ground caught his attention and he felt his heart jump in his chest.

He quickly approached the figure and even in the dark the shock of red hair was unmistakable. He bent down and felt for a pulse, which beat slowly against his fingertips.

"What in Merlin's name did Black do?" Snape snapped, conjuring up a stretcher for the unconscious Weasley. The others were nowhere in sight and Snape felt a cold knot form in his gut—had Black and Lupin succeeded in killing the children?

Before he could dwell too much on the unappealing thought, a great flash illuminated the lake on the far side of the grounds. Snape froze, staring in disbelief at the blinding white light before quickly striding in its direction, levitating the youngest Weasley boy after him.

Snape cautiously made it to the bank of the lake and was once more caught off guard. Potter, Granger and Lupin were sprawled on the ground and Sirius Black was a few feet away, bleeding from his wounds. With a malicious smirk Snape bound Black with a flick of his wand and put the remaining members of the Golden Quartet onto stretchers.

Keeping his eyes and ears alert for werewolf Lupin, Snape hurried to the castle, his heart pumping with anticipation of Black's demise and Lupin’s sacking.

...

_Ugh..._

Charlie slowly opened her eyes and gingerly sat up. Her stomach rolled with the movement and she moaned softly. She peered around, the soft glow from the candles giving her a dimly-lit view of her environment. She was in the hospital wing and she could see the outlines of her three best friends in the cots across from her. Ron was still unconscious and Harry and Hermione were propped against their pillows. They were staring at the ajar door warily and Charlie's ears tuned into the voices coming from the corridor.

"—hate to imagine what might have happened if you weren’t there, Severus! Your bravery has certainly earned you an Order of Merlin.”

"Thank you very much, Minister."

“I am sorry about the Dementors—I suppose they sensed Black was near and just went completely out of control. You’re not sure who drove them away?”

"I’m afraid not. I came upon Potter, Granger and Lupin unconscious and Black as well. Of course, I took care of Black first so he couldn't do any more harm before attending to my injured students. I’m relieved you decided to stick around, Minister, so Black can be dealt with as soon as possible.”

"Absolutely. He’ll be receiving the Kiss very soon.”

Hermione’s eyes widened. She looked at Harry, who had quietly filled her in on the events of the evening while Charlie was still out cold, and he gave an uncertain shrug. ‘What do we do?’ he mouthed at Charlie.

Pomfrey was tending to Ron, spreading a salve over the gash on his leg. Charlie slowly eased from her cot, her body still cold and shaky, and she tiptoed over to the door. She squeezed through the crack and Fudge startled at the sight of her.

“What are you doing out of bed?” demanded Snape.

“Sorry,” said Charlie quickly. “I just—I was hoping to see the Headmaster.”

“Whatever for?”

“It’s been a really long night and I was hoping to talk with him, that’s all. Um, is Black…still here?”

“Yes, but you need not worry,” said Fudge, clapping her shoulder comfortingly. “We have him completely secured.” His brow turned sharp and he said disapprovingly, “Though you should not have put yourself in such a vulnerable position in the first place.”

“It’s a nasty habit she has,” said Snape flatly.

“Er, sorry.” She ventured hesitantly, “Um, the Headmaster?”

“He is with Black in Flitwick’s office,” said Fudge. “Really, Charlotte, are you all right? You seem anxious.”

“That’s because she hasn’t had her chocolate yet!” Charlie jumped as Pomfrey came behind her with a scowl. “What are you doing out of bed?”

“I’m fine,” insisted Charlie.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Pomfrey crisply.

“Can I just have another minute with the Minister, if he isn’t busy?”

“Of course you can,” said Fudge, a bit bewildered.

Pomfrey clucked her tongue and gave Charlie a chunk of chocolate. “A minute,” she warned, going back into the infirmary. Charlie nibbled on it briefly before facing the Minister. “This…this is going to sound pretty strange,” she said slowly, “but Sirius Black told us a story while we were in the Shrieking Shack.”

“A false story,” said Snape sharply.

“It certainly sounds false,” said Charlie quickly. “But then Black proved it was true. See, Peter Pettigrew faked his own death. Black didn’t kill him at all—he’s been living as Ron’s rat Scabbers the whole time, as an illegal Animagus.”

“You must have had quite the dream while you were unconscious,” said Fudge with a quiet chuckle.

"You have to listen to her!" Harry spoke, squeezing behind Charlie. "We really did see Peter Pettigrew!”

Severus shook his head. "Black must have Confunded them.”

“I’m not,” said Charlie desperately. She wished Dumbledore was with them—he would listen. But he wasn’t and there was no way they would let her near Dumbledore so long as he was with Black. “He couldn’t have Confunded us anyway—he only had Ron’s wand for a few seconds before I Disarmed him.”

“Ah, I’m afraid that’s rather impossible, Miss Potter,” said Fudge kindly. “I’m sure you’re a capable witch, but even you couldn’t gain the upper hand against Sirius Black. Yes, he really must have used the Confundus Charm on you poor children. Don’t worry, the effects will wear off soon enough.”

“But Minister—”

“That is enough, Miss Potter!” said Snape angrily.

“There is no need to raise your voice, Severus.”

Dumbledore walked down the corridor towards them and Charlie was flooded with relief. “Professor! I need to talk to you! Sirius Black is innocent!”

“He really is,” insisted Harry.

“The children are a bit confused,” said Fudge lowly.

“That does not mean they don’t deserve to be heard. Is Miss Granger awake?”

“Yeah,” said Harry quickly.

“I will need to borrow her, as well as you two, for a moment.”

Snape's eyes flashed. "Surely you don't believe anything Black or these children say, do you? They’re very confused."

“We’re not confused,” said Harry in irritation. “If you had actually agreed to listen to Black instead of letting a—”

" _Do not,”_ snarled Snape, getting very close to Harry’s face, _“finish that sentence, you stupid boy.”_

"Now, really!" Fudge cried, baffled. "There's no need to yell at him! His mind is addled! He can’t help his ramblings."

“What about Veritaserum?”

Hermione popped between Charlie and Harry, clinging to their shoulders. Charlie stared at her in confusion. “Veritaserum?”

“It’s a powerful truth serum,” said Hermione firmly. “It’ll force Sirius Black to tell the truth.”

“His truth, Miss Granger,” said Snape tightly. “And with his degradation of sanity, it could be anything.”

“He seemed pretty sane to me when they were escorting Pettigrew out of the Whomping Willow,” returned Hermione. “I _saw_ him. But if you think I’m also Confunded, which I most certainly am not, then just give it a try. It’s not _impossible_ to retain your sanity while being locked up in Azkaban, _especially_ if you’re innocent and have a reason to fight. And Black won’t have a resistance to it. He’s been in Azkaban for ages.”

"Fine!" Fudge exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. "If it will make you see that Black is a cold-blooded murderer, then I give permission."

Dumbledore paused and studied them for a moment. "I believe Professor Snape has some in storage. I shall go retrieve it. I will meet you all outside of Professor Flitwick's office."

Snape looked like he would kill them any second. Charlie seized Harry and Hermione’s hands and hastily dragged them ahead of the two adults. “That was brilliant, Hermione,” whispered Harry.

“I didn’t know that was a thing,” said Charlie. “But I don’t think that’s what Professor Dumbledore had in mind.”

Hermione frowned. “What do you mean?”

“He asked for you specifically, so we could all talk to him, even though you weren’t even in the Shrieking Shack. I think he wanted to use your Time-Turner.”

Hermione gaped at her. "How did you—?"

"Ron and I figured it out a bit ago.”

“Did I…did I muck things up, then?” asked Hermione nervously.

“I guess we’ll find out,” muttered Harry.

Charlie closed her eyes for a brief second and thought pleadingly, _Let this work. Let Fudge believe him. My godfather is innocent, and I don’t want him taken away from me again._

The group came upon the office and Flitwick, who was guarding the door, regarded them all with surprise. “What is going on?”

“Dumbledore is indulging the asinine ideas of these children,” said Snape acidly.

Dumbledore arrived minutes later with a vial of clear liquid. “Thank you, Filius. We will take it from here.” When Flitwick snapped his gaze towards Charlie, his expression worried, Dumbledore said, “She has the utmost protection, but your fears may be unfounded. I will explain later.”

“Yes, Albus.”

With one last glance at them Flitwick scurried off. “Get behind us, children,” said Fudge, he and Snape unsheathing their wands.

Charlie, Harry and Hermione bustled behind the two as Dumbledore opened the door. Sirius Black was slumped in the middle of the floor, and his face quickly flashed between delight at seeing Charlie and hatred upon seeing Snape.

“Black, these children that you Confunded—"

“I would never,” said Sirius, outraged.

“They want to use Veritaserum on you,” said Fudge, ignoring Sirius. “I've allowed it so they can see what kind of monster you really are."

Dumbledore approached Black and they exchanged brief, almost knowing, glances. He tipped the vial and three drops fell into Sirius' mouth. After a moment to give the potion time to kick in, Fudge asked in a bored voice, "Did you kill all those Muggles?"

"No. It was Peter Pettigrew," Sirius answered firmly.

“Nonsense. You killed Peter Pettigrew, didn’t you?”

“No. He had his wand behind his back. He cut off his own finger, caused the explosion, and disappeared into the sewers in his Animagus form.”

“Why don’t we have a record of Peter Pettigrew being an Animagus?”

“He accomplished it illegally.”

“How do you know this?”

“He did it at school. I watched him transform into a rat many times.”

“Why did you keep breaking into the castle?”

“Because I wanted to come after Peter. I knew Peter was here, living as the pet of Ron Weasley.”

"How did you know that?" Snape hissed.

"From the paper he gave me." Sirius pointed at Fudge. “The _Daily Prophet._ Had a picture of the Weasley family, along with a line that said the boy would be returning to Hogwarts. The rat was on his shoulder, and I knew instantly it was Peter.”

The Minster flushed as Snape and Dumbledore stared at him. "Yes, well, I gave him a news scroll when I did my inspection. I didn't see the harm in it. Were you planning on killing Charlotte Potter?"

"No. I was out for vengeance against Peter Pettigrew. He betrayed Charlie's parents by revealing their location to You-Know-Who."

The look on the Minister's face was priceless. “But you were their Secret-Keeper, weren’t you?”

“I convinced James to change it to Pettigrew at the last minute. I thought it would be less obvious, that You-Know-Who would never go after him. But Pettigrew was working for You-Know-Who the whole time.”

"He's lying!" Severus snarled. "He's tricking you! Give him the Kiss!"

"Now Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "You heard Miss Granger. Sirius has not had the chance to build up immunity against Veritaserum. This is one-hundred percent the truth."

“His truth!”

“I don’t think the effects of being Confunded last this long,” piped up Charlie. “I am of sound mind, and I know what I saw, Minister. I saw Ron’s rat transform into Peter Pettigrew. He is not dead. Sirius Black tried getting into Gryffindor Tower twice to find Pettigrew. Not to harm me, not to harm a student, but to find the person truly responsible for the death of his best friend. He’s _innocent,_ Minister.”

Fudge dabbed at his forehead with his handkerchief, his eyes rather frantic. "My, my...I never expected this.”

“That’s because you never gave him a trial,” said Harry.

“The witnesses made it very clear what they saw! And Black—he was laughing like a loon when we found him!”

“Probably because he thought Pettigrew accidentally blew himself up,” said Charlie.

“Well, we can hardly be blamed for assuming…it’s not like he ever said anything otherwise. He’s still a criminal—he committed crimes all year! Breaking out of Azkaban, breaking into Hogwarts, attacking the Weasley boy—you attacked him, didn’t you?”

"It was an accident,” said Sirius regretfully. “I wanted to get Peter, but he woke up and startled me. I dropped the knife and it had an unfortunate landing.”

“I'll have to discuss all of this with the Wizengamot,” said Fudge stiffly. “You'll have to be sent back to Azkaban until we can arrange the trial—"

"That won't be necessary," Dumbledore said firmly. "I still have some items to discuss with Sirius. I will be his keeper until the trial date is set."

"But Albus—!"

“Sirius has already spent twelve unjust years in that place. He is due this small amount of freedom.”

Fudge faltered for a moment before giving a curt nod. The fallout of this grievous mistake was going to be horrendous, and he would need Dumbledore’s help and advice to soften the blow. "Very well. What an odd day this turned out to be. An execution, the innocence of—"

Hermione suddenly realized something and pressed her hand to her eyes. Charlie stared as Hermione raced out of the room. Sirius watched her in concern. “Is she all right?”

"Uh...I don't know. We’ll check on her,” said Charlie.

She grabbed Harry’s hand and shuffled out of the room, keenly aware of the ferocious glare Snape aimed at the back of their heads. They found Hermione pacing up and down the corridor, muttering to herself. “What’s wrong?” asked Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore wanted to use my Time-Turner to free Sirius. But he’s on the high floors —how were we meant to get him when Professor Flitwick was guarding the door?”

"I—I don’t know,” said Charlie with a blink.

"Buckbeak! Buckbeak could’ve been freed, and Sirius would have flown away on him. But now Hagrid won’t ever get Buckbeak back! I am _such_ an _idiot_!"

"I will not have that kind of talk in my school."

The three jumped when Dumbledore came around the corner, his silver beard reflecting the light from the candles and his blue eyes stern. "Professor,” squeaked Hermione.

“You are not allowed to call yourself anything related to a degradation of your character, Miss Granger. I myself never thought the Minister would actually agree to the use of Veritaserum. But Sirius now has a chance at freedom, thanks to you."

"But what about Buckbeak?" Hermione insisted.

“Buckbeak is just as innocent as Sirius is,” said Charlie determinedly. “He deserves to be free, too.”

The twinkle shone brightly in Dumbledore's blue eyes. "Well now, if you can manage to be back in this room before ten to twelve, then I think everything will be fine. Three turns should be enough. I would suggest getting in contact with Ronald’s brother Bill. Using absolute discretion, of course. Now, into this room."

He ushered them into an empty classroom, winked and stepped back out, closing the door behind him. Hermione beamed and Charlie and Harry watched in awe as she removed a golden chain with an hourglass at the end of it from the neck of her robes. “Come in close!” she ordered.

Harry and Charlie huddled near her and Hermione slung the chain around their necks. She twirled the hourglass three times and the world became a blur of colours and sounds. It felt like they were floating in midair before they stuck solid ground again. Hermione peeked at her watch.

“We should be on our way to Hagrid’s right about now.”

“Are we seriously back in time?” asked Charlie in awe.

“Yes. We have to be very careful. We absolutely cannot be seen.”

They crept out of the room and went down the hall. There was a broom cupboard in the hall next to the Entrance Hall and Hermione ushered them inside. “We’ll wait here. I don’t think we’ve come through yet.”

“It must have been such a pain getting to all your classes this way,” said Harry with a shake of his head.

"You have no idea how many times I've had to duck into an empty classroom or into a broom cupboard," Hermione muttered.

After a few minutes they heard footsteps coming their way. Hermione pressed her ear against the door and said quietly, “I’m pretty sure it’s us. They’re moving slowly…yes, it’s us.” She listened very carefully and, when she heard the castle doors creak open, said, “We’ve left.”

“This is so weird,” muttered Harry.

They left the cupboard and hurried through the Entrance Hall. They stepped out the doors and into the late evening air. It was baffling to see the sun starting to set for the second time in the same day. “Where do we go?” hissed Charlie.

“The Forbidden Forest. We can hide there,” decided Hermione.

Harry gestured to the expanse of grass between the Forbidden Forest and the castle. “Not a lot of cover.”

"We’ll have to run for it,” said Charlie.

Hermione nodded. “We’ll need to go around the greenhouses to avoid being seen from Hagrid’s hut.”

They broke into a jog, winding their way around the gardens and slipping behind the greenhouses. They stopped running when they were in the cover of the trees and they came to a halt, panting for breath. When they collected themselves, they trudged closer to Hagrid’s hut, and by the time the home came into sight they saw Hagrid opening the door.

Harry gaped at the sound of Hermione’s voice, even though the girl beside him didn’t say a thing. "Okay, this is one of the weirdest things we have ever done.”

Hermione rolled her eyes and peered around. "Let's move a little closer to Buckbeak. We'll have to wait until the Committee gets here and sees Buckbeak tied up or else they'll think Hagrid set him free."

“Do you know what the timeframe is between the Committee going into Hagrid’s hut and then coming back out?” asked Charlie with a raised brow.

“It’s real short,” said Harry flatly.

A surprised shriek sounded from the hut. "I just found Scabbers—er, Peter Pettigrew.” Hermione shuddered. “I can’t believe a man has been disguising as the Weasleys’ rat for so long.”

“I can’t believe Fred and George never once noticed a man was sleeping in the same bed as their brothers,” said Harry with a pinched brow. “I mean, Percy handed him down to Ron.”

“I highly doubt Fred and George used the map to stare at the sleeping forms of their siblings,” said Charlie with a roll of her eyes. “Besides, I don’t think Percy carried Scabbers around as much as Ron did, and the twins wouldn’t be worried about Ron catching them doing something they shouldn’t be doing, so they wouldn’t seek out his name on the Marauder’s Map.”

“Shh!” hissed Hermione. “Here comes the Committee.”

“And there we go,” whispered Charlie, watching as the door opened once more so their past selves could leave.

The door was only shut for a few more minutes before Dumbledore, Fudge, the executioner and another member of the Ministry entered Hagrid's hut. The four kids waited tensely. “Well, where is the creature?” came a very unpleasant voice.

“No need to be pushy, Macnair,” said Fudge loftily.

"Buckbeak is tied teh the post outside," Hagrid said miserably.

Macnair's face appeared in the window, eyes zeroing in on the Hippogriff. Fudge mentioned papers needing to be signed and the face disappeared back into the hut. “Quick!” said Hermione.

They sprinted over to Buckbeak and ducked into bows. Buckbeak responded instantly and Charlie stroked his head in relief. “Thanks, Buckbeak. We’re getting you out of here.”

Harry untied the knot and gripped the rope tightly. He started to tug but Buckbeak didn't move an inch. “Come on, we’re trying to save you!”

"I don't have time for this!" Charlie hissed.

The three of them grabbed hold and forced Buckbeak across the grounds. “I believe that is all—" started Fudge.

Hermione gave a terrified yip.

“Not quite, Cornelius. Macnair still needs to add his signature.”

“Ah, quite right.”

“We have to go!” said Harry in panic.

It was close, but they led Buckbeak fully into the Forbidden Forest just as the group left Hagrid’s hut. When it was clear Buckbeak was gone, Hagrid let out a delighted cry and the Hippogriff’s head snapped in the direction of his master’s voice.

“No no,” whispered Charlie. “Stay here, please.”

" _Where is it?_ " the executioner bellowed. “What have you done?”

"Hagrid couldn’t have done anything, Macnair. He was with us the whole time. He must have pulled himself loose," Dumbledore said in amusement.

"Beaky!" Hagrid said joyfully. “Yeh cut the rope yerself! Good fer yeh!”

There was the swish of an axe and then a thud. In his fury the executioner slammed the axe into the fence, but this time there was no agonized wailing following it. "We need to search the grounds!"

"I highly doubt the Hippogriff would have left on foot," Dumbledore said reasonably. “I’m afraid it’s gone. Hagrid, how about a cup of tea? Or perhaps a brandy for Macnair and the Minister?"

There was the sound of soft cursing and retreating footsteps, and then the slam of the front door. The three kids let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, now what?" Charlie asked.

“Professor Dumbledore said that we need to contact Ron’s brother Bill, but I don’t understand how we’re meant to do that,” said Hermione anxiously.

“I don’t think we’re making it to Egypt in the next couple of hours,” deadpanned Harry.

Ron's muffled shouts sounded from the direction of the Whomping Willow as he tried to keep Scabbers—Peter—under control. Hermione shook her head. "It's a wonder no one heard that."

Charlie’s eyes glimmered as an idea stuck her. “Well, we can’t, but maybe Dob—”

"That's breaking the law!" interrupted Hermione.

“What do you think we’re doing right now?” demanded Harry.

"Look, all I have to do is tell him he never saw us,” insisted Charlie. “That he can’t ever mention what happened.”

Hermione pursed her lips. "Fine, but if we dismantle the entire time/space continuum, I'm blaming you."

"Wonderful,” said Charlie dryly.

“You’ve been in trouble for worse,” snickered Harry.

“Shush. Hey, Dobby!"

There was a _pop_ and Dobby appeared before her. "Hello, Miss, Hermy, and Loopy!” He processed their surroundings and asked resignedly, “Is Miss in trouble again?”

Harry snorted. “I’m not!” said Charlie quickly. “I was wondering if you’d be able to locate Bill Weasley in Egypt. Ask him if he wants a Hippogriff. We can’t tell him where we got him, but he is very nice and is in desperate need of a home.”

“Dobby will try, Miss!”

Hermione groaned as Dobby disappeared. “Do you know how many things could go wrong?”

“I think you should be telling me. You’re the time traveller.”

Screams and shouts started to come from the Whomping Willow and Harry flinched. “It’s just as bad hearing it all happen.”

“Come on, let’s get a little closer,” muttered Charlie.

They moved and watched as the Whomping Willow soundly kicked their butts. Soon the past versions of Charlie and Harry went after Ron and Hermione sprinted back for the castle. “How did you miss Uncle Remus?” said Harry in bafflement. “He must have gone right by you!”

“It’s dark!” defended Hermione, and sure enough the last rays of the sun were gone from the sky. “I couldn’t see much of anything.” It wasn’t long before Dumbledore and the others came up the slope and Hermione scowled. “Honestly! I could have saved all that time!”

Dumbledore and the Committee went out of sight and the area surrounding the Whomping Willow was once again quiet. Dobby returned and said brightly, "Bill Wheezy has said he would love to have a Hippogriff! Although he wonders where Miss and friends have gotten one.”

"Er...tell him it's a long story we just can't share. Make sure to tell him that he can’t tell anyone he got the Hippogriff from us, and he shouldn’t mention his acquisition of a Hippogriff…to anyone, really. This whole thing has to stay a secret, and you can’t tell anyone either, okay?”

“Dobby understands,” he said seriously. “Dobby will take the Hippogriff to Bill Wheezy now.”

“Thanks, Dobby,” said Charlie in relief.

In the next second Dobby and Buckbeak were gone and Harry let out a great breath. “Phew. We did it.”

"We are in so much trouble," Hermione moaned.

“We did what Dumbledore told us to do! Really, how else were we supposed to get in touch with Bill?" Charlie plopped down on the cold dirt and glanced at the Whomping Willow. “There’s Remus.”

The man was sprinting across the grass. He deftly avoided the swinging branches of the tree and touched the knot. “Why couldn’t you do that?” Harry asked Hermione.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have years of experience dealing with the Whomping Willow,” said Hermione crossly.

Charlie glanced at Harry. “You told her everything?”

“When Pomfrey wasn’t hovering over us, yeah.”

“I just don’t understand one thing,” said Hermione, perplexed. “I saw someone on the other side of the lake cast a Patronus that chased away all the Dementors. Who was it?”

"I don’t know,” said Charlie with a frown.

They sat still for a long moment. Finally, their past selves came trooping out of the Whomping Willow passageway, Peter Pettigrew chained up. Charlie longed to run out, to try and warn them what was about to happen, but knew she couldn’t. She could only watch helplessly as Pettigrew got away and Remus changed into a werewolf.

_Was there really nothing that could have been done? Does a prediction mean it was all set in stone?_

“Wait a minute,” said Harry, turning white with terror. “Doesn’t Uncle Remus come through the Forbidden Forest?”

“Back to Hagrid’s hut,” said Charlie frantically.

They charged through the trees, whacking branches out of their way and leaping over roots. Remus’ howl echoed through the night and Hermione hissed, “Faster!”

They stumbled next to Hagrid’s hut and Charlie looked desperately through the window. “No one’s home but Fang and he can’t talk. Get in!”

The pounding off paws against the earth, sounding dangerously close, caused Hermione to wrench the door open and shove Charlie and Harry inside. Fang bounded up to them with happy barks and tackled Charlie in a dog version of a hug.

“Shh!” said Charlie, rubbing his ears. “Quiet, Fang!”

He calmed down and they waited in a tense silence. After a while, Harry peeked out the window. “I can’t see anything,” he whispered.

“I think Remus went deeper into the forest,” said Charlie softly. “I don’t hear him anymore. I’m going to take a look, see what’s going on.”

“You shouldn’t,” said Hermione.

“I’ll be quick. I won’t be seen. You guys stay here.”

She slipped out of the hut before Hermione could protest further. She headed straight for the lake, knowing the Dementors would attack at any moment, and she wanted to know who had cast the Patronus. She reached the spot and lingered in the shadows, staring intently across the lake.

The Dementors were swarming. Sirius was out cold. Harry and Hermione fainted. Her past self was struggling to remain conscious.

It was almost time—where was their rescuer? There was no one around but her.

_Oh. No way._

Slightly awed, Charlie strode to the bank and removed her wand from the sleeve of her robe. _"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

A dazzling silver animal burst from the tip of her wand. It was the unicorn, and it galloped across the black water and charged through the circle of Dementors. The hooded beasts scattered with high-pitched shrieks.

Charlie stared as the animal came back towards her. “Hey,” she whispered. She set a hand against its muzzle, where it rested until the Patronus vanished.

"Charlie!”

The raven-haired girl glanced behind her. Hermione stormed towards her with a look of fury with Harry scrambling behind her. “She was too worried to stay behind,” he informed.

“Apparently I was right! I told you not to mess with anything!"

Charlie rolled her eyes and ushered her friends behind the cover of a bush. "The person that cast the Patronus that saved us was me.”

Harry touched his temple. “Time travel is so confusing.”

“You…you drove away all those Dementors,” said Hermione, surprised. “That’s advanced magic, Charlie.”

"Well, I'd already done it, so I knew I could do it again," Charlie explained. “So I guess I technically did it…twice?”

“No, you only did it once,” said Harry. “We weren’t saved twice.”

“It doesn’t matter,” muttered Hermione. She was peering through the leaves of the bush. Snape was stalking towards the castle with the lot of them in tow, floating on stretchers. She checked her watch. “We still have forty minutes before we need to be back in that room.”

They crept back to Hagrid’s hut, where they passed a bit of time by playing with Fang. When there was just a little bit of time left remaining, they went to the castle, cloaked by the darkness. They crossed through the Entrance Hall, Hermione keeping a sharp gaze on her watch. “We only have a couple more minutes.”

There were a few close calls, in which they had to dive back into the broom cupboard to avoid Snape and the Minister and fling themselves behind the tapestry blocking the secret passage to keep Peeves from seeing them. But they made it to the room just as Dumbledore was stepping out.

He beamed at them. "Just on time. Everything went smoothly, I assume?"

"Yes, Professor," Hermione said with a nod. "Buckbeak is safe."

"Good, good! Ronald is waiting for you in the infirmary. You ought to get back there yourself, or Madam Pomfrey may bite my head off," he chuckled. "Sirius has been escorted to my office and I must go there to discuss some things. You children saved some lives tonight. Be proud of yourselves."

He patted Hermione on the shoulder and she grinned at him. Dumbledore winked at Charlie before setting off. The three made it to the infirmary, where one look from Pomfrey sent them racing for their cots.

When Pomfrey finally went into her office Ron hissed, “Where have you lot been?” In hushed voices, Hermione explained to him what happened. Ron was stricken. "Well. I missed a lot. But that’s brilliant about Sirius, Charlie!”

“Thanks!” Charlie couldn’t begin to explain how happy she was. “I’m just hoping his trial is fairer than Buckbeak’s.”

“Harry, what about your uncle?” questioned Ron. “Is he going to be all right?”

"Yeah. He'll be back by dawn, if not later," Harry assured them. "When he comes back, he’ll probably have to spend some time in here, ‘cause of the injuries he got from fighting Sirius.”

"Did you see Snape’s face on our way back?” asked Charlie with a wince. “He was murderous. I’ll have to try and talk to him.”

Harry scoffed. “It’s your funeral.”


	19. Another Year, Another Summer

Charlie fidgeted in her sleep. Something heavy was sitting on her chest and she was having trouble breathing. Her green eyes fluttered open and she nearly shrieked upon seeing her house-elf leaning close to her face, smiling happily. "Dobby!"

"Miss is awake!" Dobby said cheerfully. Charlie inhaled deeply when he hopped off her chest and landed beside her bed. "Dobby was worried!"

"I'm fine, Dobby. Did you get the Hippogriff to Bill safely?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yes." Dobby nodded earnestly. "Dobby made sure Bill Wheezy knew that Charlotte Potter wanted to keep this a secret!"

"Thank you," Charlie said gratefully. "I really appreciate it."

"Anything for Charlotte Potter!" Dobby said with a bow. "Dobby will be seeing Miss before she leaves?"

"Of course, Dobby."

The house-elf left and Charlie sat up. The sun filtered through the high glass windows and her friends were also waking up, stretching their arms and yawning. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" she joked.

Harry wrinkled his nose and threw his pillow at her. "It was awful.”

Ron scowled. "You're not the one who got his leg nearly bitten off.”

“He wasn’t trying to bite your leg off, Ron.”

Ron took a quick look around the infirmary. “Shouldn't your uncle be back by now?"

"He came back at dawn,” Harry informed them. “He woke me up and I told him everything that happened—well, almost everything. He was pretty upset. I told him we're all fine and that it wasn't his fault."

"Good. I don't blame him in the slightest. Now how are we going to convince Madam Pomfrey to let us out of here? I need to see Sirius and talk to Professor Snape,” said Charlie.

“Madam Pomfrey!” called Ron. “Can we please go now?”

The medic-witch swept out of her office with a serious expression. “Depends on how your wounds have healed over the night.”

She gave them a thorough check-up and sent them off when she deemed them healthy. The four kids ran into Hagrid as they wandered the corridors. He was elated to see them. "Yer okay!"

"Perfectly fine," Hermione assured him.

"This is great news! An' I have more. Guess what happened teh Buckbeak?"

Charlie did her very best to look curious. "What happened to Buckbeak?"

"He escaped! I mus' not have tied the knot properly." Hagrid smiled widely. “I've bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's great!" Hermione exclaimed. "That ought to bother Mr. Malfoy."

"I wish I could be there to see his face when he gets the news," Ron said dreamily.

"Fer a while, I was concerned Lupin might o' got a hold o' him. I know he can' help it, an' I understand, bu' I'm glad Buckbeak managed teh—"

"What do you mean got a hold of him?" Harry asked sharply.

“I didn’ mean anythin’ by it,” said Hagrid quickly. “Lupin’s a good man, Harry, an’ yeh won’ hear me say otherwise. I don’ care that he’s a werewolf.”

“Snape,” growled Harry.

“He blabbed teh the Slytherins this mornin',” confirmed Hagrid. “Everyone knows Lupin is a werewolf. He's packin' up right now teh leave."

Harry sprinted off and his friends hastily followed after him. “Are you going to see your uncle or kill Snape?” asked Ron.

“Haven’t decided yet,” said Harry with a snarl.

Charlie grabbed his arm to bring him to a halt. “Wait!”

“I can’t believe it,” said Harry, shaking with fury. “Just because Sirius, Dad and the rest pulled a stupid joke on him in school, he’s ruining Uncle Remus’ life.”

“It wasn’t a stupid joke,” said Charlie calmly. “If Dad hadn’t gone after Professor Snape, Remus very well could have killed him. If Draco had done that to you, or to me, or Ron or Hermione, would you forgive him?”

Harry stood still for a minute, breathing heavily. “No,” he finally admitted. “No, I wouldn’t. Not ever.”

“But that doesn’t make what Snape did right,” snapped Ron.

“Of course it doesn’t. But I think…I think I understand why. If you knew Draco was a werewolf, would you keep it a secret, Ron?”

“Absolutely not,” said Ron at once.

“I think Professor Snape did some terrible things to them when they were in school, and I think they did some terrible things back.”

Hermione nodded. “Professor Snape just couldn’t be the bigger person. I don’t think he can, when it comes to the Marauders.”

“He’s a bully,” said Ron with a scowl.

“But we don’t have to be ones in return,” said Charlie softly. “Antagonizing Professor Snape over this, even if he deserves it, won’t do us any favours. It won’t help Remus.”

“At least he didn’t tell the Minister Remus changed into a werewolf while we were around him,” pointed out Hermione. “Surely he connected the dots when he didn’t see Remus anywhere near us.”

Harry felt ice course through his veins. If Snape had told them the whole story, that he had changed into a werewolf without his potion, it would be cause for investigation. A suitable reason to remove Harry from Remus’ custody.

“I’m going to see Uncle Remus,” he said at last.

“I’ll come with you,” offered Charlie.

“I’m starving,” said Ron. “But give him my best, yeah?”

“I’ll stay with Ron,” spoke Hermione. “We’ll see you later.”

The raven-haired girl followed her brother to Remus’ office. Harry didn’t bother to knock and opened the door, where he found his guardian packing the last of his items into a suitcase. "You didn't tell me!" Harry accused. “You didn’t say a word when you came to see me!”

Remus went over to him, running his fingers through Harry’s short hair. “Sorry, pup. But you went through a lot last night and I figured you could wait until you came home for summer holidays for me to tell you I resigned."

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor we've ever had,” said Charlie sadly. “Can’t Professor Dumbledore do something?”

"Professor Dumbledore didn’t fire me,” said Remus gently. “But I think it would be for the best if I left. Since Snape let it slip—”

"Oh please, Snivellus knew exactly what he was doing. He deliberately sabotaged you." Sirius sauntered into the room, looking happier than he'd ever been. The man smiled fondly, ruffling Charlie's hair and squeezing Harry’s shoulder. "Thank Hermione for me. She really saved my skin.”

"Sirius," Remus said warningly. "You shouldn't talk bad about one of their professors, no matter how much you hate him."

"Are you sure you don't want me to hex him for you?"

"No. The last thing you need is to land yourself back in Azkaban." Remus rolled his eyes and snapped his suitcase shut.

"You're not just leaving because Professor Snape told everyone you're a werewolf, are you?" Charlie asked.

"By this time tomorrow, hundreds upon hundreds of letters will be pouring in, telling Dumbledore they don't want a monster teaching their children. I don't want him to have that hassle."

Sirius snorted. "You know Dumbledore doesn't care."

"I do. I could have bitten any of you last night. I won't let that happen again," Remus said firmly. His expression softened and he said, "Charlie, I heard you drove off the Dementors.”

“From who?” asked Charlie, discreetly giving Harry a scolding pinch.

“No one. I just assumed—who else could it have been?”

"Oh.” Charlie managed not to make a face as Harry gave her a retaliating pinch back. “Yeah. I couldn’t have done it without your lessons.”

“What form did it take?”

“It was a unicorn."

Remus laughed. "You know, your father's Patronus was a stag. Just like his Animagus form."

"Neat!" A thought occurred to Charlie and she asked hopefully, "Remus, do you think I could have the Marauder's Map back?"

"I haven’t seen that thing in years. We made some good memories with it,” said Sirius. There was a mix of wistfulness and bitterness in his gaze, for those memories that he treasured were now tainted, for Peter Pettigrew was intricately a part of all of them.

"You know, I really shouldn't be giving this to you, considering your penchant for getting into life-threatening danger." But Remus removed the map from his drawer and handed it to her. "But I think James would have wanted you to have it. Along with his Cloak, which I managed to rescue from the Shrieking Shack."

Charlie beamed as he held out her shimmering Invisibility Cloak. “Thanks so much!”

"And this is where Lily would kill us," Sirius chuckled.

"Use that stuff responsibly," Remus warned. "No getting yourselves in danger or snooping where you shouldn't be." He looked pointedly at Harry, who grinned sheepishly.

"Yes, Uncle Remus."

There was a knock on the door and Dumbledore strode in. "Remus, your carriage is at the gates." The man looked sternly at Sirius. "And you were supposed to have been in my spare quarters."

Sirius grinned. "Since when did I ever follow the rules?"

Dumbledore shook his head with a slight smile. "You may escort Remus to the front doors, but no further."

"It's like I'm twelve again," Sirius muttered with a pout.

“You’re acting like it,” said Remus with a laugh. "Come on, pup. You can walk me to the gates.” He paused by Charlie, setting a hand gently against her shoulder. “I’m sure we will see each other soon, Charlie. Try to have a good summer.”

Charlie mustered a smile. “I will. See you later, Remus.”

They departed and Charlie sunk into a spare chair, the happiness falling from her expression as her thoughts weighed heavily on her mind.

"What's the matter, Charlotte?" Dumbledore asked softly.

“Professor Trelawney made a prediction, the night of Pettigrew’s escape,” said Charlie, twisting her fingers. “She didn’t even remember it when it was over. She said that Voldemort's servant would be freed and that he would help his master return to power."

Dumbledore didn't look worried in the slightest. "She made a true prediction? That makes it her second one.”

“Remus and Sirius wanted to kill Pettigrew. But I…I couldn’t bear to let them do it. I stopped them. Now Pettigrew is gone and he’s going to seek out Voldemort. He’s going to bring him back. And…and it’ll be my fault.”

Her voice wavered and Dumbledore shook his head strongly. “Charlotte, you saved Peter Pettigrew’s life. That is something even he cannot ignore. In the wizarding world, when one wizard saves another, a bond is established between them.”

“What good will that do?” said Charlie desperately.

“When Voldemort returns, one of his servants will be in your debt, and it is not something Pettigrew is going to disclose to him.”

“But…but did I ever stand a chance? Professor Trelawney made a prediction, and it happened, right down to the letter.”

“The future is complex, and not even the greatest of Seers can predict the exact events of what will happen,” said Dumbledore softly. “Our choices will always dictate what happens around us. Our choices are what build our future."

“He’s the reason my parents are dead,” said Charlie staring at her feet. “I—I know that, and I still don’t want him to die."

“Your parents would be so proud,” said Dumbledore quietly. “So proud of you and your true character. James wouldn’t have let them kill Peter Pettigrew either. They live in you, Charlotte.”

Charlie gave a watery smile. “Thanks, Professor.”

“Do you know what a unicorn represents, Charlotte?”

“How did—?”

“You weren’t able to see, but all of us teachers were impressed by your Patronus during your Quidditch game. Purity, Charlotte, is what a unicorn represents, and a Patronus represents your spirit.”

Charlie’s lips twitched. “Does that mean my Animagus form would be a unicorn?”

Dumbledore’s eyes sparkled. "Perhaps. But I do ask that, if you must find out, you do the Animagus process legally.”

Charlie gave a serious nod. “Got it.”

...

As they approached the front doors of the castle, Remus handed his bags to his charge. "Can you bring these to the carriage for me? I'll be there in a moment."

Harry looked at him curiously over the bags before nodding and running off. Sirius looked after him for a long moment before turning back. "You still haven't told him?"

Remus blinked. “Told him what?”

“That he and Charlie are siblings?”

Remus made a shocked, choking sound, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. “How did you—?”

“James told me.” Sirius gave a sad smile. “Not even Dumbledore could make James keep secrets from me. He was so happy…to find out he was going to have twins.”

“We thought…we thought it would be for the best, to separate them,” said Remus, shooting a swift look around to ensure they would not be overheard. “Dumbledore knew something was wrong. He wouldn’t tell us, of course, but James and Lily knew, so…so of course when they asked, I took Harry with no questions.”

“I’m just glad James didn’t tell Pettigrew,” said Sirius darkly.

“I…I’m sorry,” said Remus quietly. “For thinking you would have killed your best friend.”

“I don’t blame you,” said Sirius softly.

“I’m just so happy to have you back.” Remus clutched Sirius’ arm, tears building in his eyes. “I just wish Harry could know how important he is to you.”

“I’ll make sure he knows,” said Sirius fiercely. “I won’t tell him a thing, but I’ll make it clear I love him.”

“Thank you,” whispered Remus. “He’s a good boy. I’m honoured and immensely grateful that I was able to raise him.”

“What about Charlie?” asked Sirius with a frown. “Was…was she treated right?”

“Not in the slightest,” whispered Remus, his hands trembling in anger at the thought of Charlie’s relatives. “Petunia’s hatred of her sister extended to Charlie. There was no love for her growing up.”

“It’s not fair,” said Sirius hoarsely. “None of it is fair.”

“The kids are alive. They are the best of friends. That’s all we can ask for right now.”

“Will you ever tell them?”

"Perhaps. But not now. How did you know? That Harry was really—?”

“James told me what they wanted to name their babies,” said Sirius with a smile. “You didn’t change his.”

“I couldn’t.” Remus looked down the path, which Harry had long since disappeared down. His features may have been magically altered, but his heart and his spirit—they were very much handed down from his parents. Remus was just lucky enough to have influenced a few personality traits. “I wouldn’t.”

...

When Harry returned to the castle, he made tracks for Snape’s office. The man glowered down at him; his lips pulled back with distaste. “I should warn you, Lupin, if you plan on taking your anger of your guardian’s dismissal out on me, I will ensure you are in detention for the entirety of next year.”

Harry grit his teeth together, thinking about what his sister had said. “I came to say thank you.”

Snape’s eyes narrowed. “I beg your pardon?”

“You could have told your Slytherins that Uncle Remus transformed into a vicious monster right in front of me. You could have told the Minister that he had neglected to take his potion and he could have killed me. But you didn’t, and I appreciate that. I…I couldn’t bear the thought of being taken away from him.”

“I am not in the business of removing children from their guardians, Lupin,” said Snape stiffly.

Harry tilted his head to the side. “But you are in the business of removing qualified teachers from the castle.”

“He does not deserve to be here,” growled Snape.

“I politely disagree. The Remus you hate is different from the Remus I love. But what happened between you two has nothing to do with me.”

“Is that all you came to say?” said Snape flatly.

“Well…you could tell me that I was right, about your reasons for skipping to the werewolf unit, since it didn’t really work.”

There was a mischievous gleam in Harry’s eyes, but it was teasing rather than malicious. For a brief moment, Lily shone through the layers of magical concealment, and Snape started to close the door.

“Detention, Mr. Lupin, first week of next term for your disrespect.”

Harry pulled a face as the door snapped shut. “Great.”

It was only fifteen minutes later when another knock sounded on Snape’s door. With an irritated scowl he flung it open, only to find the other Potter twin standing on the other side. “Good morning, sir."

Snape sneered at her. "Potter."

"I understand why you're mad. I don’t expect anything to change how you feel about my father and his friends. Years of dislike and hatred are hard to dissolve. I’ve lived with the Dursleys for thirteen years—I know all about it.” Charlie gave a tired smile. “I know you don’t care what I think. That’s okay. But I just want you to know that I stood up for Sirius because he was innocent, and years of hatred won’t ever change that.

“I know you hate them. But I don’t. I hope, somehow, we can learn to move past that. Thank you, for coming into the Shrieking Shack to help us. I really do appreciate it. And I promise I won’t tell anyone about the horrible trick that was pulled on you. I’ll see you after the summer, Professor, and I’m really looking forward to next year’s Potions classes.”

Relieved she had gotten through her spiel without him spitting at her, she turned on her heel and hurried down the corridor, Snape’s dark eyes watching after her. With a hard breath, he slammed the door shut, wondering why the brats could not simply leave him to build up resentment in peace.

_Just like their mother._

...

In the final days of term, Dumbledore pulled Charlie aside for a quick chat. There was an expression on his face that told her she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “What is it?” she asked warily.

"I am sorry, but Sirius' trial is not set until late in the summer. The Ministry is also firm in that you should not be allowed to live with him until he's legitimately been proven innocent. I'm afraid I can do nothing about it. He will be under close watch by me and you will return to the Dursleys.”

“What’s another three months?” said Charlie with a sigh. “Thanks, Professor.”

Dumbledore inclined his head. “You’re welcome, Charlotte.”

Charlie went back into her common room, where Hermione was waiting for her. “What was that about?” she asked.

“I’ll explain when we meet up with Ron and Harry.”

They went out of the castle and to the lake, where the two males were sprawled out in the grass, bathing in the sun. Charlie and Hermione lowered next to them and the raven-haired girl said, "I have to go back to the Dursleys until Sirius is proven innocent.”

"That sucks," Ron said sympathetically. "I’ll try to rescue you as soon as I can.”

"No flying cars!" Harry snapped.

“Please, you think my dad would try and make another one?” said Ron with a snort. “Mum would have his head.”

“Besides, not even you would be stupid enough to try the same stunt twice,” said Hermione.

Ron scowled as Charlie and Harry laughed. “Thanks a lot, Hermione.”

...

Charlie’s least favourite part of the school year arrived—leaving the castle, knowing there was a magic-less and chore-filled summer ahead of her. She carried her trunks and Snowy's cage to the station, Crookshanks stalking ahead of them.

They settled in a compartment and Charlie sighed. "Well, we're all alive."

"Barely," Hermione muttered. "Between exams and this whole Sirius Black business, I think I lost a few years off my life."

“You’re not doing it again next year, are you?” asked Harry, aghast.

"No way. I dropped Muggle Studies and Divination, so now I have a normal timetable."

Ron groaned. "Now who’s going to help me in Muggle Studies?"

Charlie laughed. "You've still got Harry."

"He's useless at Muggle Studies!"

"I’m sorry, but I’m the one who figured out how a telephone worked,” said Harry.

Ron brightened. "Oh yeah! I can call you this summer, Charlie. I think Dad’s got one of those stashed in his shed. He’ll help me set it up.”

“Er…okay,” said Charlie hesitantly. “Just don’t mention you’re a friend from school. And, uh, don’t be surprised if someone shouts at you and then hangs up.”

Something grey and small zoomed at their window and smashed into it. Startled, Hermione opened it up and a tiny owl flew in, twittering madly. Ron snatched the note hanging from its talons and they crowded near him to read it.

_Dear Ron, Charlie, Hermione and Harry,_

_Ron, since I made you lose your rat, I figured the least I could do was go and get you an owl. Tell Charlie not to worry, Dumbledore came with me. Oh, and make sure Charlie knows that if her relatives mistreat her, I'll come sort them out._

_By the way, I ought to explain a few things I didn't get a chance to earlier. I sent the Firebolt, Charlie. Crookshanks brought the mail order in for me and I used my own money. Don't ask how I got it; it wasn't easy. Plus, I apologize for scaring you, Charlie. It was me you saw when you left your uncle's house that summer night. I just wanted to get a glimpse of you._

_Enclosed is the permission form for Hogsmeade. Now you can have fun without worrying if you'll get caught or not!_

_Ron, Harry and Hermione, I know I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again. Thank you so much for all you’ve done to support me. I’m very happy that Charlie has such wonderful friends. I look forward to getting to know all of you._

_See you soon!_

_Sirius_

Charlie grinned. "Cool!"

Ron stared at his new owl in awe. After a moment he held out the owl to Crookshanks. "He's not some crazy nut-job, is he?" Crookshanks sniffed the owl and purred. Ron grinned. "Sweet! I got an owl!"

A few hours later the train pulled up to King's Cross. Charlie spotted her relatives the second she went through the barrier. They were standing stock-still and scowling, arms crossed tightly over their chests.

"Good luck, Charlie,” said Ron.

"Keep your head held high," Hermione advised.

"If they do anything, I'm just a letter away." Harry handed her his address, which was scrawled on a piece of parchment. "I figure this way you don’t have to wait for an owl to show up so you could send me mail.”

Charlie smiled gratefully. "Thanks guys. I'll see you soon." With a wave, she went off to join her relatives.

She had a feeling this summer would be more bearable.

After all, she could never say she had an escaped murderer for a godfather before.

He was innocent, yes, but they didn't have to know that.


End file.
